Formula 1 heads to the streets of Baku this weekend for Round 17 of the season, with the championship battle between McLaren teammates Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris once again set to take centre stage.
Baku’s 6.003km layout is one of F1’s most unique tests, combining tight, twisting corners through the city’s historic castle section with the longest flat-out run on the calendar.
It’s a circuit that rewards bravery and precision but punishes the smallest mistake, with an 88 percent chance of a safety car — the fifth-highest on the calendar. Only 25 percent of races have been won from pole, and just half from the front row, making qualifying no guarantee of victory.
McLaren arrive on the verge of history, holding a commanding constructors’ championship lead and needing only a one-two finish — or to outscore Ferrari by nine points — to seal the title with seven rounds to spare.
Piastri carries a 31-point advantage over Norris despite a frustrating third place at Monza, where team orders and pit-stop drama stirred tension inside the garage. The Australian, who claimed a dominant win here last year, will be aiming to reassert his authority, while Norris looks to chip away at the lead on a circuit where anything can happen.
Red Bull remains a threat after Max Verstappen’s strong Monza showing and a promising new floor, while Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli seeks a response after an error-strewn Italian weekend. Ollie Bearman faces added pressure as he sits just two penalty points shy of an automatic race ban.
Baku has built a reputation for unpredictability since joining the calendar in 2016, with seven different winners in eight races.
Red Bull leads the tally with four victories, Mercedes has three, and McLaren broke their grip last year. Sergio Perez stands out as the only repeat winner, while Australian drivers have twice triumphed here, courtesy of Daniel Ricciardo in 2017 and Piastri’s breakthrough in 2024.
With its mix of chaos and high-speed drama, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises another weekend of tension as McLaren chases an early constructors’ crown and the Piastri–Norris title fight reaches another flashpoint on F1’s most unpredictable street circuit.
When is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku takes place on September 19-21 (AEST).
What time does the Azerbaijan Grand Prix start?
The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will start at 9pm AEST on Sunday, September 21. Scroll down for more time zones.
What is the weather for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?
Outside of a chance of a shower or two on the Saturday, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix looks set to be a dry one. It will be sunny on Friday with temperatures in the mid-20s, while Sunday will be slightly overcast with temperatures also in the mid-20s.
How to watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Australia
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be live and exclusive on Fox Sports 506. There is no live free-to-air coverage or post-race free-to-air highlights of the event in Australia.
Can I live stream the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Australia?
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Foxtel’s subscription streaming services Foxtel Go and Kayo Sports.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Fox Sports broadcast times (AEST)
Friday, September 19
Practice 1: 6:00pm-7:58pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Practice 2: 9:45pm-11:15pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Saturday, September 20
Practice 3: 6:15pm-8:10pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Qualifying: 9:55pm-11:05pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Sunday, September 21
Build-up: 7:30pm-8:55pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
Race: 8:55pm-11:00pm AEST
Fox Sports 506, Kayo Sports, Foxtel Go
How to watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in New Zealand
Sky Sport will have broadcast coverage of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Sky Sport 2 will air action on Friday, Sky Sport 3 on Saturday & Sky Sport 1 on Sunday.
Can I live stream the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in New Zealand?
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sport’s subscription streaming service SkyGo or Sky Sport Now.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Sky Sports broadcast times (NZST)
Friday, September 19
Practice 1: 8:00pm-10:00am NZST
Sky Sport 2, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Practice 2: 11:45pm-1:15am NZST
Sky Sport 2, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Saturday, September 20
Practice 3: 8:15pm-10:10pm NZST
Sky Sport 3, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Qualifying: 11:15pm-2:00am NZST
Sky Sport 3, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Sunday, September 21
Build-up: 9:30pm-10:55pm NZST
Sky Sport 1, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Race 10:55pm-1:00am NZST
Sky Sport 1, Sky Sport Now, SkyGo
Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix schedule
| Friday, 19 September | Duration | Local | AEST | ACST | AWST | NZ | |
| FIA Formula 2 | Practice Session | 45 minutes | 10:00 | 16:00 | 15:30 | 14:00 | 18:00 |
| Formula 1 | Free Practice 1 | 60 minutes | 12:30 | 18:30 | 18:00 | 16:30 | 20:30 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Qualifying Session | 30 minutes | 14:00 | 20:00 | 19:30 | 18:00 | 22:00 |
| Formula 1 | Free Practice 2 | 60 minutes | 16:00 | 22:00 | 21:30 | 20:00 | 0:00 |
| Saturday, 20 September | |||||||
| Formula 1 | Free Practice 3 | 60 minutes | 12:30 | 18:30 | 18:00 | 16:30 | 20:30 |
| FIA Formula 2 | Sprint Race (21 Laps or 45 Mins +1 Lap) | 45 minutes | 14:15 | 20:15 | 19:45 | 18:15 | 22:15 |
| Formula 1 | Qualifying | 60 minutes | 16:00 | 22:00 | 21:30 | 20:00 | 0:00 |
| Sunday, 21 September | |||||||
| FIA Formula 2 | Feature Race (29 Laps or 60 Mins +1 Lap) | 60 minutes | 11:00 | 17:00 | 16:30 | 15:00 | 19:00 |
| Formula 1 | Grand Prix (51 laps or 120 minutes) | 120 minutes | 15:00 | 21:00 | 20:30 | 19:00 | 23:00 |
Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship (After Italian GP)
| Pos | Num | Driver | Team | Wins | Poles | Points | Diff | Gap |
| 1 | 81 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | 7 | 5 | 324 | ||
| 2 | 4 | Lando Norris | McLaren | 5 | 4 | 293 | 31 | 31 |
| 3 | 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 3 | 5 | 230 | 94 | 63 |
| 4 | 63 | George Russell | Mercedes | 1 | 1 | 194 | 130 | 36 |
| 5 | 16 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | 0 | 1 | 163 | 161 | 31 |
| 6 | 44 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | 0 | 0 | 117 | 207 | 46 |
| 7 | 23 | Alexander Albon | Williams | 0 | 0 | 70 | 254 | 47 |
| 7 | 12 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | 0 | 0 | 66 | 258 | 4 |
| 9 | 6 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 0 | 0 | 38 | 286 | 28 |
| 9 | 27 | Nico Hulkenberg | Kick Sauber | 0 | 0 | 37 | 287 | 1 |
| 11 | 18 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | 0 | 0 | 32 | 292 | 5 |
| 12 | 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | 0 | 0 | 30 | 294 | 2 |
| 13 | 31 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | 0 | 0 | 28 | 296 | 2 |
| 14 | 10 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 0 | 0 | 20 | 304 | 8 |
| 14 | 30 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 0 | 0 | 20 | 304 | 0 |
| 18 | 5 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Kick Sauber | 0 | 0 | 18 | 306 | 2 |
| 16 | 87 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | 0 | 0 | 16 | 308 | 2 |
| 16 | 55 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | 0 | 0 | 16 | 308 | 0 |
| 19 | 22 | Yuki Tsunoda | Racing Bulls/Red Bull | 0 | 0 | 12 | 312 | 4 |
| 20 | 43 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 324 | 12 |
| 20 | 7 | Jack Doohan | Alpine | 0 | 0 | 0 | 324 | 12 |
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