The run of eight Formula 1 flyaway races which concludes the 2025 season begins with a visit to Baku and the city’s street track for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, live on Sky Sports F1.

McLaren title rivals Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris head into round 17 slightly closer on points than had been the case going into the previous race in Italy, the Australian’s lead over his British team-mate trimmed to 31 points after the latter enjoyed the stronger Monza weekend.

But McLaren, who had to pick their way out of a late team orders problem following a slow pit-stop for Norris, suffered just their fourth race-day defeat of 2025 as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen impressively returned to winning form.

Verstappen had a rare off weekend when F1 raced in Azerbaijan last year, on a weekend Piastri underlined his then-nascent status as a front-running star by beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc – who has taken the last four Baku poles – to what was just his second career win.

Norris drove a strong recovery race to fourth after yellow-flag trouble had left him 15th on the grid, suggesting both McLaren drivers should go well again this weekend.

And, on a wall-lined track where dramatic incidents and controversy often occur, last year’s race finished under a Virtual Safety Car after a big crash between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz when vying for the podium.

Baku is three hours ahead of the UK so there are slightly earlier session start-times compared to the European season, with qualifying at 1pm on the Saturday and the race at 12pm on the Sunday.

Azerbaijan GP track – Baku City Circuit

In the country on the Caspian Sea where Europe meets Asia, the Baku City Circuit joined the F1 calendar in 2016. The race ran under the European Grand Prix title in that first year, before taking the country’s name from the following season, and is one of the breed of faster street tracks now.

That speed is no more evident than when drivers top 200mph down the 1.4-mile long main straight – the longest of the whole season – with slipstreaming and overtaking opportunities aplenty. The big Turn One braking zone was the scene of a crash between Red Bull team-mates Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo in 2018.

After two shorter straights connected by classic street circuit-style 90-degree turns, the 3.7-mile track heads into the twister ancient part of the city, including the narrowest piece of track of the whole season. At 7.6 metres between the barriers, the tricky Turn Eight-Nine ‘castle’ chicane takes F1 cars past what is the city’s UNESCO-protected medieval area.

Azerbaijan GP weather

The weather is generally good when F1 visits Baku and early forecasts for this year duly point towards sunny, dry conditions across the race weekend, with temperature highs in the mid-20s.

Azerbaijan GP dates, UK start time and Sky Sports F1’s live schedule – practice, qualifying and race

Thursday September 18
11am: Drivers’ Press Conference
2.45pm: Paddock Uncut

Friday September 19
6.55am: F2 Practice
9am: Azerbaijan GP Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)*
10.55am: F2 Qualifying
11.40am: Team Principals’ Press Conference
12.45pm: Azerbaijan GP Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)*
2.15pm: The F1 Show*

Saturday September 20
9.15am: Azerbaijan GP Practice Three (session starts at 9.30am)
11.10am: F2 Sprint Race
12.15pm: Azerbaijan GP Qualifying build-up
1pm: AZERBAIJAN GP QUALIFYING
3pm: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook

Sunday September 21
7.55am: F2 Feature Race
10.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Azerbaijan GP build-up*
12pm: THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX*
2pm: Chequered Flag: Azerbaijan GP reaction
3pm: Ted’s Notebook

*also live on Sky Sports Main Event

How to watch or stream the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the UK and Ireland

Got Sky?

TV: Sky customers can watch on Sky Sports F1 from the first practice session on Friday morning to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix itself on Sunday, September 21 at 12pm

App: Sky customers can also watch on the Sky Sports app – with the option to go onboard with any driver!

Not got Sky?

Stream: Non-Sky customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month pass

Live blog: Anyone on the move can follow live coverage of the race weekend through our dedicated F1 blog

FREE Highlights: Watch F1 highlights shortly after the chequered flag on the Sky Sports app

How to watch the Azerbaijan GP on mobile with the Sky Sports app

Sky Sports Subscribers can:

1. Download or open the Sky Sports app
2. Head to the ‘Watch’ section at 10.30pm for build-up on Sunday, ahead of lights out at 12pm
3. Tap on the Sky Sports F1 channel
4. Sign in with your Sky iD (*you’ll only need to do this once)

*Sky iD help: How to find or create your Sky iD

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It’s an app, so customers can sign up and stream instantly across over 60 devices. It offers contract-free membership options, so customers can cancel anytime!

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Formula 1 heads to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 19-21, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime