Formula 1 heads into Saturday in Baku with George Russell on pole and a major opportunity to cut into Kimi Antonelli championship lead after his Mercedes team-mate crashed out of qualifying.

Russell dominated the final part of qualifying to take his fifth pole of the season, beating Charles Leclerc by more than eight tenths. Oscar Piastri starts third for McLaren, ahead of the returning Isack Hadjar and Lando Norris.

Antonelli faces a very different race after hitting the Turn 1 barriers in Q1 and damaging the front-left suspension of his Mercedes. The championship leader had already set a time quick enough to advance, but could take no further part and qualified 16th.

Lewis Hamilton starts sixth ahead of Pierre Gasly, while Max Verstappen could only manage eighth after struggling with a suspected energy deployment problem. With Russell at the front and Antonelli deep in the field, Saturday’s race could have significant consequences for the championship fight.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of the Azerbaijan GP.

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  Formula 1F1 Azerbaijan GP: George Russell takes dominant pole as Kimi Antonelli crashes out

Broadcast coverage of Formula 1 varies by region. In the United States, Apple TV is the primary broadcast partner for the 2026 season, with all sessions available on the platform following a multi-year deal. F1 TV remains the series’ global subscription streaming service.

For viewers in the United Kingdom, Sky Sports continues as the championship’s exclusive broadcaster, showing every session live throughout the 2026 season. F1 coverage can also be streamed via Sky Go or NOW, with highlights available free-to-air on Channel 4.

Motorsport.com will provide live coverage and updates throughout the Azerbaijan GP weekend.

Times local to Baku:

Saturday, September 26 — 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix — 3:00pm AZT

For UK viewers:

Saturday, September 26 — 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix — 12:00pm BST

For US Eastern Time viewers:

Saturday, September 26 — 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix — 7:00am ET

All times local to Baku:

• Thursday, September 24 — free practice 1 — 12:30pm AZT
• Thursday, September 24 — free practice 2 — 4:00pm AZT
• Friday, September 25 — free practice 3 — 12:30pm AZT
• Friday, September 25 — qualifying — 4:00pm AZT
• Saturday, September 26 — 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix — 3:00pm AZT

Saturday is expected to bring much calmer conditions for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Friday’s strong winds in Baku.

Clearer skies are forecast, with temperatures around 25C for the race. That should make conditions more predictable than they were during qualifying, although Baku’s long straights and exposed sections can still leave drivers dealing with some wind.

With little sign of major weather disruption, the focus should return to race pace, energy management and strategy around the high-speed street circuit.

• Circuit: Baku City Circuit
• Location: Baku, Azerbaijan
• Event: Azerbaijan GP
• Circuit type: street circuit
• Thursday sessions: Free practice 1 and free practice 2
• Friday sessions: Free practice 3 and qualifying
• Race: Saturday, September 26

Baku combines narrow street sections with a long run to the start-finish line, putting a premium on confidence under braking, straightline performance and energy management.

- The Motorsport.com Team