The 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will follow an unusual schedule for viewers in Brazil: on-track action starts on Thursday, September 24, qualifying takes place on Friday, September 25, and the race is held on Saturday, September 26. For Brasília time, Baku is seven hours ahead during the event. That puts the practice sessions and qualifying in the morning in Brazil, with the race start scheduled for 08:00 on Saturday.
2026 Azerbaijan GP times in Brasília time
The table below converts the official timetable published by Formula 1. Baku operates on UTC+4 during the race weekend, while Brasília remains on UTC-3 in 2026. Therefore, subtract seven hours from Azerbaijan local time to get Brasília time.
| Session | Date | Baku time | Brasília time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free Practice 1 | Thursday, Sep. 24 | 12:30 to 13:30 | 05:30 to 06:30 |
| Free Practice 2 | Thursday, Sep. 24 | 16:00 to 17:00 | 09:00 to 10:00 |
| Free Practice 3 | Friday, Sep. 25 | 12:30 to 13:30 | 05:30 to 06:30 |
| Qualifying | Friday, Sep. 25 | 16:00 to 17:00 | 09:00 to 10:00 |
| Race | Saturday, Sep. 26 | 15:00, official window to 17:00 | 08:00, official window to 10:00 |
The race is scheduled for 51 laps of the 6.003 km Baku City Circuit, or up to the regulatory limit indicated in the timetable. The official event page also lists the main 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule.
Why the 2026 race is on Saturday
The original calendar placed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the September 25 to 27 weekend. FIA and Formula 1 later announced that the race would move from Sunday, September 27, to Saturday, September 26, following a request from the local promoter and Azerbaijani authorities connected to a national day. The FIA announcement about the calendar change explained the reason, and the official timetable published later now lists the event from September 24 to 26.
In practice, the change shifts the whole weekend format: the first two practice sessions are on Thursday, the third practice session and qualifying are on Friday, and the race closes the main program on Saturday. Viewers who assume the usual Friday-to-Sunday pattern could therefore miss sessions.
How to convert Baku time to Brasília time
The official timetable states that Baku is four hours ahead of UTC. In 2026, Brasília uses BRT, UTC-3, with no clock change during the year, according to the Brasília time-zone record. The difference between UTC+4 and UTC-3 is seven hours.
- 12:30 in Baku is 05:30 in Brasília.
- 16:00 in Baku is 09:00 in Brasília.
- 15:00 in Baku is 08:00 in Brasília.
This conversion applies to the 2026 Grand Prix dates. For other events, it is safer to check both time zones and any local clock changes before reusing the same offset.
Checklist so you do not miss a session
- Thursday, Sep. 24, 05:30: Free Practice 1.
- Thursday, Sep. 24, 09:00: Free Practice 2.
- Friday, Sep. 25, 05:30: Free Practice 3.
- Friday, Sep. 25, 09:00: qualifying.
- Saturday, Sep. 26, 08:00: Azerbaijan Grand Prix start.
Because the early practice sessions start very early in Brazil, setting alerts in advance is useful. For the race, the most relevant reference is the 08:00 start, not the 10:00 end of the official window. The actual duration depends on the race flow, flags, stoppages and other sporting procedures.
What can still change before the Grand Prix
Formula 1 labels the timetable as subject to change. Operational, safety, weather or sporting decisions can adjust session times. This schedule should therefore be used as a reference based on the official timetable available on September 17, 2026, with a final check on the event page recommended close to each session.
For Brazilian viewers, the key point is the non-standard sequence: Thursday and Friday for practice and qualifying, Saturday for the race, with Brasília seven hours behind Baku.
