Formula 1 chiefs confirm 2026 calendar change in surprise decision

System 1 and the FIA have agreed to a change to subsequent season’s calendar after a request was made to maneuver the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2026 with the unique date unsuitable

System 1’s 2026 season will see a uncommon Saturday race after an alteration was made to the calendar. The FIA and F1 agreed to maneuver subsequent 12 months’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The race, initially scheduled for Sunday September 27, will now happen Saturday September 26. F1’s groups have been knowledgeable of the change which sees the race introduced ahead 24 hours.

The choice arrives after the Azerbaijan race promoter and authorities stakeholders requested the transfer. September twenty seventh is a nationwide day the place the nation has day of remembrance for individuals who died within the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh battle.

The announcement arrived together with affirmation of the 2026 pre-season testing dates. There will probably be three exams for constructors to utilise.

Barcelona and Bahrain will play host to the trio of occasions. They may happen in January and February.

READ MORE: Lewis Hamilton pinpoints weak spot regardless of Ferrari good points as Charles Leclerc makes demandREAD MORE: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri converse out after ‘restrict pushed a bit far’ in Austrian GP duel

The primary take a look at will see groups endure a personal outing at on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Pink Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and co will name the monitor house throughout January 26 -30.

The subsequent two exams will the happen on the Bahrain Worldwide Circuit. Every will begin per week aside on February 11-13 and February 18-20 respectively.

The information arrives because the 2025 calendar prepares to maneuver on to Silverstone subsequent weekend. The Northamptonshire monitor will welcome the game’s stars with house favorite Lando Norris chasing down McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri after beating him to win the Austrian Grand Prix.

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Norris trails Piastri by 15 factors going into the race having claimed two fewer wins to date this season. The pair comfortably lead the standings at present forward of Pink Bull’s Max Verstappen, who crashed out of proceedings in Austria, and Brit George Russell who’re separated by simply 9 factors however are greater than 60 off prime spot.

The 25-year-old Norris is already excited by the prospect of returning to Silverstone. “After all, it is a spot I need to win greater than wherever else, however it would not change something,” he mentioned.

“It simply places a bit extra of a smile on my face each morning once I get up. It in all probability distracts me in a great way greater than something… extra of a optimistic distraction, I’d say, greater than a strain.

“There’s strain in each race. There’s strain to win in the present day, to be on pole yesterday. I do not suppose I can put myself underneath any extra strain.”

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