3 days ago
Formula One chiefs announce major update to 2026 calendar with iconic race set to take place on a SATURDAY in rarely-seen move
The 2026 Formula One season will feature a rare Saturday race after the FIA announced an update to the calendar.
The F1 and the FIA have agreed to move the Azerbaijan Grand Prix forward one day from its original slot, which was a traditional Sunday.
The race at the Baku City Circuit in Baku was scheduled for September 27 but will now be taking place on the 26th.
Azerbaijan is the 17th race of the 24-race season and all team have been informed of the move.
It comes after the Azerbaijan race promoter and government stakeholders formally requested the change of date.
They did so because the 27th is a national holiday which pays tribute to those lives lost in the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war.
The official update also provided fans with confirmation of the dates of the three pre-season sessions.
The first of those will take place in Barcelona, Spain before Sakhir, Bahrain plays host to the following two.
Testing is a chance for teams to put their cars through their paces ahead of the opening race of the year.
Test one will be a private event and will take place at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya between January 26-30.
Test two and three will be held at the Bahrain International Circuit between February 11-13 and February 18-20. The season begins in Australia on March 6-8.
