George Russell will aim to reduce Kimi Antonelli's commanding 81-point lead in the Formula 1 Drivers' Standings when the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place on Saturday at the Baku City Circuit.
Russell secured pole position after Antonelli crashed into the wall during the first qualifying session on Friday, a rare error that left the Italian down in 16th on the starting grid. Russell dominated the rest of qualifying, finishing ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and McLaren's Oscar Piastri.
Race start time and Saturday schedule
The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is scheduled to start at 12pm BST, which is 3pm local time in Baku, on Saturday, September 26.
The race is being held on Saturday instead of the usual Sunday slot to avoid clashing with Remembrance Day in Azerbaijan, which falls on Sunday, September 27.
Starting grid and how to watch
The full starting grid for the race is as follows: 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), 11. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls), 12. Alexander Albon (Williams), 13. Esteban Ocon (Haas), 14. Carlos Sainz (Williams), 15. Arvid Lindblad (Racing Bulls), 16. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes), 17. Gabriel Bortoleto (Audi), 18. Nico Hulkenberg (Audi), 19. Valtteri Bottas (Cadillac), 20. Sergio Perez (Cadillac), 21. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), 22. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin).
In the UK, the race will be broadcast live on Sky Sports, with build-up starting at 11am BST and the race itself from 12pm. Coverage is also available on Sky Sports Main Event. Sky Sports subscribers can stream the action live via the Sky Go app.
Weather forecast for Baku
Saturday is expected to be warm and sunny in Baku, with only a moderate breeze and a high temperature of around 25 degrees. There is no chance of rain affecting the race.
