Formula 1 Hits the Streets of Baku

The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend begins today, September 24, as Formula 1 returns to the high-speed streets of Baku for Round 15 of the championship.

FP1 and FP2 take place on Thursday, followed by FP3 and qualifying on Friday. In a rare schedule change, the 51-lap Grand Prix will take place on Saturday, September 26, rather than Sunday.

The 6.003km Baku City Circuit remains one of F1's most distinctive challenges, combining the narrow Old City section with an enormous flat-out run towards Turn 1.

Street circuit. Long straights. Almost no margin for error.

Baku is back.

Piastri Returns to Scene of 2025 Nightmare

For Oscar Piastri, Azerbaijan carries unfinished business.

His 2025 Baku weekend marked a major turning point in his championship campaign. After qualifying ninth, Piastri jumped the start, dropped to the back after triggering anti-stall and then crashed into the barriers on the opening lap. His form deteriorated through the closing stages of the season as Lando Norris and Max Verstappen moved ahead of him.

Baku has also produced one of Piastri's greatest F1 moments: he won here in 2024, defeating Charles Leclerc after a memorable battle.

But his immediate concern is rediscovering form after a difficult Spanish GP at Madring, where he finished eighth while Norris fought at the front. Norris has now outscored Piastri by 66 points in 2026.

Winner in 2024. Disaster in 2025. Redemption opportunity in 2026.

Ferrari Faces Leclerc Grid-Penalty Decision

Ferrari enters Baku with another major question hanging over Charles Leclerc.

The power unit fitted to Leclerc's SF-26 at Monza was involved in his heavy Italian GP crash. Reports indicate the engine avoided terminal damage but may now only be considered suitable for lower-risk running such as practice.

Leclerc is already at the limit of his permitted allocation across all seven power-unit component categories. Taking additional components would therefore trigger a grid penalty.

Team principal Fred Vasseur previously suggested Baku could be a suitable venue to absorb such a penalty because its huge straights create more overtaking opportunities. Ferrari had not definitively committed to the change in the reporting ahead of the weekend.

That makes Thursday practice particularly important as Ferrari assesses its options.

Three Stories to Watch in Baku

For Winbox Racing, the Azerbaijan GP arrives with several storylines converging at exactly the right circuit.

Piastri needs a response. Ferrari must manage Leclerc's power-unit situation. And championship leader Kimi Antonelli arrives with eight victories and an 81-point advantage over Mercedes team-mate George Russell.

With Baku historically capable of producing unpredictable races, the opening sessions could quickly set the tone for the entire weekend.

Piastri wants redemption. Ferrari faces a penalty call. The championship battle continues.

Formula 1 is back on the streets of Baku.

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