Monday officially marked the start of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix week for Formula 1, the 15th round of the 2026 season. Baku will feature a schedule different from the usual: practice sessions will begin on Thursday, qualifying will take place on Friday, and the race will be held on Saturday, the 26th, at 8:00 a.m. Brasília time.
The schedule change occurs because Azerbaijan observes Memorial Day on September 27. Local authorities requested that the programming be moved forward by 24 hours, and F1 agreed. As a result, FP1 will be held at 5:30 a.m. on Thursday, followed by FP2 at 9:00 a.m., while Friday will have FP3 at 5:30 a.m. and the qualifying at 9:00 a.m.
In Red Bull, Isack Hadjar undergoes a decisive assessment to determine whether he can return to the car this weekend. The Frenchman has missed all races since the summer break due to a fracture in his wrist, and Liam Lawson has taken his place alongside Max Verstappen. According to RacingNews365, Hadjar feels less pain, but the decision still hinges on a simulator session.
Verstappen also drew attention with an assessment from Gunther Steiner. The former Haas boss believes that the four-time world champion could finish 2026 without a victory, attributing the scenario to the limitations of the Red Bull car. After 14 rounds, Verstappen has 145 points and sits sixth, having as his best results three runner-up finishes in Austria, Hungary, and Spain.
Baku also represents a new opportunity for Gabriel Bortoleto to score points with Audi. The Brazilian arrives at the event to tackle a street circuit that blends narrow sections, a long acceleration zone, and little room for error, while teams will have less time than usual to react to problems due to the condensed schedule.
