Preparations Completed in Baku Before the 2026 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Before the 2026 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, the streets where the race will be held were closed to vehicle and pedestrian traffic and turned into a track. The race will start on Saturday, September 26 (today) at 15.00 CET

Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which will be hosted by Azerbaijan for the 10th time, will be held on September 26. While preparations were completed in the streets where the organization will be held, security measures were increased in the streets on and around the race route, and the areas to be used as tracks were surrounded by barriers.

Grandstands were set up across the route from historical and cultural buildings such as Azadlık and Azneft squares, the Maiden's Castle and the castle gates.

The start of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be from Azadlık Square. The vehicles will pass through the street on the shores of the Caspian Sea, tour around the historical Icherishehir, and reach the finish line at Azadlik Square.

Known for its narrow streets passing through the historical Icherishehir region and long straights along the coastline, the Baku track attracts attention as one of the street tracks in the Formula 1 calendar.

THE DATE OF THE RACE HAS BEEN CHANGED DUE TO MEMORIAL DAY

In Azerbaijan, September 27 was declared as "Martyrs' Memorial Day" by President Ilham Aliyev, as it was the first day of the 2nd Karabakh War, which started in 2020.

Therefore, at the request of the organizers and government officials in Azerbaijan, Formula 1 and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) moved the event's calendar one day forward.

Formula 1 pilots will complete the race by completing 51 laps on the approximately 6-kilometer track, which includes 20 challenging bends, in the race to be held on Saturday for the first time this year.

GEORGE RUSSELL WON POLE POSITION IN FORMULA 1 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

George Russell, the British pilot of the Mercedes team, will start from the first row in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the 15th race of the season in the Formula 1 World Championship.

In the qualifying rounds held at the 6-kilometer-long Baku City Circuit in the capital Baku, Russell placed in the first pocket with a time of 1 minute and 42.526 seconds.

Ferrari's Monaco pilot Charles Leclerc took second place, 0.837 seconds behind Russell, and Australian Oscar Piastri from the McLaren team took third place with a difference of 0.838 seconds.

The leader of the pilots' classification, Italian Kimi Antonelli from Mercedes, hit the wall in the first session and could not complete the qualifying laps, ranking 16th.