Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli Ready To Put One Hand on the F1 Crown in Baku

by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath

image Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Kimi Antonelli Ready To Put One Hand on the F1 Crown in Baku
The spotlight falls on Baku as the 2026 Formula 1 season reaches another potentially defining moment on the shores of the Caspian Sea this weekend. While there is still some way to go before the season ends, Kimi Antonelli is odds-on to win the Drivers’ Championship and the favourite to take the top step of the podium in Azerbaijan.
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Antonelli Beats Back Early Engine Fire Drama 

Kimi Antonelli heads into the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend with a significant advantage in the championship battle, sitting 81 points clear of his closest challenger in the Drivers’ standings. Check out our F1 predictions for all the key details for this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix. 

The teenage sensation’s march toward the crown was nearly derailed on Thursday afternoon, when his Mercedes suffered a hydraulics failure during Free Practice 1, forcing him to pull his smoky W17 off at Turn 7 at the Baku City Circuit. 

The heat damage was severe enough to force a precautionary power-unit swap, costing him valuable setup time during FP2!

However, the raw pace of the Mercedes package was on full display once the car returned to the track, as Antonelli delivered a stunning recovery lap by going second-fastest overall, finishing only behind teammate George Russell, who swept the timing boards across the opening day.

Even after having his preparatory simulation time cut in half, Antonelli quickly adjusted to Baku’s challenging low-grip conditions, reinforcing his reputation for staying calm under pressure, which will be key as we enter the business end of the F1 season. 

Why the Baku Grand Prix is Flying Under a Saturday Schedule

In a shake-up to modern Formula 1 scheduling customs, fans tuning in to their feeds on Sunday will find that they have missed the main event, as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix main race will officially go lights-out on Saturday, 26 September, at 15:00 local time. 

The rare 24-hour calendar shift was requested by local race promoters and subsequently cleared by the FIA to respect Azerbaijan’s National Remembrance Day on Sunday, 27 September. 

The annual day of remembrance honours the soldiers and civilians who lost their lives in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts. To observe the national mourning period, the entire race weekend has been brought forward by one day, meaning qualifying will take place on Friday before the 51-lap Grand Prix on Saturday afternoon. 

Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Saturday Race Details

  • Date: Saturday, 26 September 2026
  • Race Start Time: 12:00 BST / 15:00 Local / 7:00 ET
  • Venue: Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan
  • Total Race Distance: 51 Laps / 306.049 km