Kimi Antonelli arrives at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix of Formula 1 next week with a lead of no less than 81 points. It so happens that the street circuit of Baku may be the only more dangerous event between the driver and the chance to secure the title earlier in Singapore.
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The urban layout has produced seven different winners in nine races held since its debut in 2016, with only Sergio Pérez and Max Verstappen managing to repeat wins on the circuit.
The competitor who starts from pole position has managed to convert the honor position into victory in only three of these nine attempts. The circuit is famous for its 2.2km main straight along the Caspian Sea, and a very narrow passage through the walls of the Old City with only 7.6m width, a layout that usually causes safety cars.
For the 2026 season, the Azerbaijan GP was moved from Sunday to Saturday, September 26, to respect the Memorial Day in the country, honoring those who lost their lives in 2020 in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
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Thus, the entire event will be brought forward by one day, with free practice on Thursday, qualifying on Friday, and the GP on Saturday. Also, a triple round begins, bringing more intensity to the calendar as it approaches the final stretch.
Mathematically, as GPblog reported, Antonelli could already secure the 2026 title at the Singapore GP in October. However, a retirement in Baku, a circuit known for accidents, could push the trophy win further ahead.
This season, out of the 14 rounds contested so far, Antonelli failed to score points in only two: Barcelona and England. In his run last year at the Azerbaijan F1 GP, the Italian finished in fourth position.
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