Formula 1 takes to the streets of Baku today for the 2026 Azerbaijan GP, with George Russell starting from pole position for Mercedes. The Briton produced the standout qualifying lap of the weekend to put himself in a prime position to cut into the championship lead.
The race starts at 15:00 local time in Baku, which is 12:00 in the UK, 07:00 ET and 04:00 PT. Russell shares the front row with Charles Leclerc, while Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar line up directly behind.
The biggest championship story sits much further down the order, with Kimi Antonelli starting 16th after crashing in Q1. The Italian arrived in Baku with an 81 point lead over Russell, making today one of the biggest opportunities yet for his teammate to reduce the deficit.
What time does the F1 race start today?
The 2026 Azerbaijan GP starts at 15:00 local time at the Baku City Circuit on Saturday, September 26. The race is being held on Saturday this year rather than the usual Sunday slot, with the entire weekend schedule brought forward by one day.
Race start times around the world:
- Azerbaijan (AZT): 15:00
- United Kingdom (BST): 12:00
- Central Europe (CEST): 13:00
- United States Eastern (ET): 07:00
- United States Pacific (PT): 04:00
- Australia (AEST): 21:00
- New Zealand (NZST): 23:00
The race is scheduled for 51 laps around the 6.003 km Baku City Circuit. That gives drivers a race distance of just over 306 km around one of Formula 1’s fastest and most unforgiving street tracks.
More from the Singapore GP
Catch up with Total Motorsport's latest Singapore GP coverage, including Max Verstappen's victory at Marina Bay, Ferrari's costly strategy gamble, the full race classification, and the updated 2026 Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship standings.
Azerbaijan GP starting grid
Russell dominated qualifying and claimed pole with a 1:42.526, finishing 0.837 seconds clear of Leclerc. It was another major qualifying performance from the Mercedes driver on a weekend where he has looked consistently strong.
Leclerc starts second for Ferrari, with Piastri only 0.001 seconds behind him in third. Hadjar starts fourth for Red Bull Racing, ahead of Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
Pierre Gasly starts seventh for Alpine, while Max Verstappen lines up eighth. Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman complete the top 10 after post qualifying penalties altered the order.
Azerbaijan GP starting grid top 10
| Position | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 2 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 3 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren |
| 4 | Isack Hadjar | Red Bull |
| 5 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari |
| 7 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| 8 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 9 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine |
| 10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
The provisional grid places Liam Lawson 11th, Alex Albon 12th and Esteban Ocon 13th. Carlos Sainz drops to 14th after receiving a five place grid penalty.
Grid penalties reshape the Azerbaijan GP
Four drivers have grid penalties heading into the race, although the front of the order remains unchanged. Sainz is the highest placed driver affected after qualifying ninth for Williams but being dropped five positions.
Sergio Perez received a three place penalty for impeding Piastri during qualifying, although he remains 20th because of larger penalties elsewhere. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are relegated to the back after Aston Martin exceeded its permitted power unit component allocations.
The back of the grid therefore has Valtteri Bottas 19th, Perez 20th, Alonso 21st and Stroll 22nd. Antonelli, crucially, remains 16th because his poor starting position came from his Q1 accident rather than a penalty.
Azerbaijan GP TV guide: How to watch F1 today
The Azerbaijan GP will be shown live by Formula 1 broadcasters around the world. UK viewers can watch on Sky Sports F1, while Apple TV is the exclusive home of Formula 1 in the United States in 2026. Major viewing options include:
- United Kingdom: Sky Sports F1 and NOW
- United States: Apple TV
- Australia: Fox Sports / Kayo
- International: F1 TV Pro in supported territories
The race begins at 12:00 BST for viewers in the UK and 07:00 ET in the United States. F1 TV Pro also carries live coverage in eligible territories, alongside official live timing through Formula 1’s website and app.
Russell has a huge championship opportunity
Few races this season have offered Russell a bigger opportunity to change the championship picture. He starts from pole while Antonelli begins 15 places further back in 16th.
The gap between the two Mercedes drivers stands at 81 points after Antonelli won last time out in Madrid. Even a strong podium for Russell combined with a difficult recovery race for his teammate would reduce that advantage significantly.
Russell also carries strong momentum from practice after topping both FP1 and FP2. Mercedes looked particularly comfortable over both one lap and longer runs, while the pole margin suggested the W17 remains the car to beat.
Antonelli faces his toughest recovery race of the season
Antonelli’s weekend changed dramatically when he hit the wall at Turn 1 during Q1. The incident ended his qualifying session and left the championship leader only 16th on the grid.
Baku does at least offer genuine overtaking opportunities, particularly along the enormous run from Turn 16 to Turn 1. Straight line efficiency and a strong slipstream can make progress easier here than at many street circuits.
The challenge will be avoiding trouble through the narrow middle sector and managing traffic without overheating the tyres. Antonelli has enough championship margin to avoid unnecessary risks, but every position gained could limit the damage if Russell converts pole into victory.
Ferrari have another chance to attack
Leclerc starts second and gives Ferrari its strongest opportunity to challenge Russell into Turn 1. The Monegasque was more than eight tenths away in qualifying, but race pace and slipstream effects could close that gap significantly.
Hamilton begins sixth after a more difficult Q3 but remains well placed to influence the fight at the front. Ferrari had a clean practice programme and appeared competitive throughout the weekend.
The Baku City Circuit has traditionally suited Leclerc over one lap, even if converting strong grid positions into victories has often proved more difficult. The long straight also means holding track position can be challenging when a pursuing car remains within slipstream range.
McLaren have two cars near the front
Piastri starts third and missed the front row by only 0.001 seconds. That puts McLaren in a strong position to attack Leclerc and potentially Russell during the opening stint.
Norris starts fifth after locking up on his final qualifying attempt, which cost him the chance to improve. He remains one of the drivers capable of disrupting the Mercedes championship battle from the front group.
The first lap could be especially important for both McLaren cars because the opening section offers one of the best overtaking opportunities. A clean launch and strong braking into Turn 1 could immediately change their race prospects.
Hadjar puts Red Bull on the second row
Hadjar produced one of the strongest qualifying performances of his season to take fourth on the grid for Red Bull Racing. The Frenchman starts ahead of both Norris and Hamilton after another impressive Saturday performance.
His result is particularly notable after returning to action this weekend following his recent wrist injury. Red Bull Racing will have two different strategic options with Hadjar fourth and Verstappen eighth.
Verstappen had topped FP3 before qualifying and appeared capable of challenging nearer the front. Eighth therefore leaves him with more work to do, but Baku is one of the circuits where overtaking and strategy can quickly bring a driver back into contention.
Azerbaijan GP weather forecast
Race day in Baku is expected to be dry and relatively warm. Temperatures should range from around 20C to a maximum of 26C, with a 0% chance of rain.
Track temperatures are forecast to reach approximately 43C, while winds should average around 15.5 km/h. Gusts could still reach around 43 km/h, which may have a noticeable effect on cars through the faster sections.
Wind is particularly important in Baku because of the combination of exposed straights and heavy braking zones. A sudden gust can change the balance of a car just as a driver is preparing to brake from more than 300 km/h.
Tyre strategy could favour a one stop race
Practice data pointed strongly towards a one stop race if conditions remain dry. Degradation looked low during the longer runs, with track evolution helping drivers maintain competitive lap times.
That puts extra emphasis on track position and the timing of the single pit stop. A Safety Car or Virtual Safety Car could therefore have an enormous influence because drivers able to stop under neutralised conditions would gain a significant strategic advantage.
Baku has repeatedly produced interrupted races because the barriers sit so close to the track. Even a relatively minor mistake can leave debris on the circuit or trigger a Safety Car period.
What to watch during the F1 race today
The biggest storyline is whether Russell can take full advantage of Antonelli’s qualifying mistake. A victory from pole combined with a low points finish for the championship leader could make the title battle look very different by Saturday evening.
Other key storylines include:
- Whether Russell converts his dominant pole into victory
- How quickly Antonelli can recover from 16th
- Whether Leclerc can attack Russell using the slipstream
- If Piastri can challenge from third
- Whether Hadjar converts fourth into another major result
- How Norris recovers after his final Q3 lock-up
- Whether Hamilton can bring Ferrari into the podium fight
- How quickly Verstappen can progress from eighth
- The influence of strong wind gusts around Baku
- Whether a Safety Car changes the one stop strategy
The opening lap will immediately test Russell’s ability to protect the lead. Leclerc and Piastri should both benefit from the tow down Baku’s long straights if they can stay close enough.
Why Baku creates such an unpredictable race
The Baku City Circuit remains one of the strangest combinations of characteristics on the Formula 1 calendar. Its 6.003 km layout mixes very narrow corners through the old city with one of the longest full throttle sections in the sport.
Drivers need enough downforce for the technical middle sector without sacrificing too much top speed along the run towards Turn 1. That compromise can leave cars vulnerable in one part of the lap even when they are exceptionally strong somewhere else.
The barriers also punish even small mistakes, particularly through the castle section. A driver can lose an entire race with only a slight misjudgement, which keeps Safety Cars and sudden strategy changes permanently in play.
Championship context before the Azerbaijan GP
Antonelli arrives in Baku with an 81 point championship lead over Russell after winning eight of the opening 14 races. Mercedes have also won 10 of those 14 Grands Prix, underlining their control of the opening part of the season.
Today’s grid gives Russell a rare opportunity to turn the pressure back towards his teammate. He starts first while Antonelli is only 16th, creating the possibility of the biggest single race points swing between the pair this season.
Behind them, Norris, Piastri, Leclerc, Hamilton and Verstappen all have the opportunity to influence the championship battle. Baku’s unpredictable nature means the outcome can change quickly, even if Russell begins the race with the strongest position.
F1 Today FAQs: Azerbaijan GP 2026
The Azerbaijan GP starts at 15:00 local time in Baku, which is 12:00 in the UK, 07:00 ET and 04:00 PT. The race is being held on Saturday, September 26.
George Russell starts from pole position for Mercedes after setting a 1:42.526 in qualifying. He beat Charles Leclerc by 0.837 seconds.
George Russell starts first alongside Charles Leclerc. Oscar Piastri and Isack Hadjar occupy the second row.
Kimi Antonelli starts 16th after crashing at Turn 1 during Q1. The championship leader was unable to continue after damaging his Mercedes.
Max Verstappen starts eighth for Red Bull Racing. He had earlier topped FP3 before slipping down the order in qualifying.
Carlos Sainz has a five place penalty, while Sergio Perez has a three place penalty. Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll also have power unit penalties that move them towards the back of the grid.
The race is scheduled for 51 laps of the 6.003 km Baku City Circuit. The street track combines narrow corners with a very long flat out section.
Saturday is expected to remain dry with a maximum air temperature of around 26C and a 0% chance of rain. Wind gusts could reach approximately 43 km/h during the race.
