Azerbaijan GP on a Saturday in 2026, F1 to test in January

Formula One will race on a Saturday in Azerbaijan next year to avoid a clash with a national day and pre-season testing will start behind closed doors at Spain's Barcelona circuit in January.

Formula One and the governing FIA said the change of date for the race in Baku had been made at the request of the promoter and government stakeholders.

Originally scheduled for September 27 next year, it will now be held on the 26th with each day of the event also moving forward.

That will mean Formula One having two Saturday races on next year's 24-round calendar, with the Las Vegas night grand prix scheduled for November 21.

Formula One is entering a new engine era next season with major technical changes and the new cars will hit the track earlier than usual, with teams having three pre-season tests to shake out any gremlins.

The first on January 26-30 will be a private one at the Circuit de Catalunya.

The second and third, with the usual access for media, will be in Bahrain between February 11-13 and 18-20. The season starts in Australia on March 8.

BORTOLETO HOPES HE CAN FIGHT FOR POINTS 

Gabriel Bortoleto hopes he and Sauber can fight for points for the rest of the Formula One season after he scored his first in Austria at the weekend and was voted Driver of the Day.

The first Brazilian since Felipe Massa in 2017 to score, the rookie finally opened his account with a breakthrough eighth place in his 11th race.

Teammate Nico Hulkenberg made it a double celebration by finishing ninth from the back of the grid – the German's third race in a row in the points.

Champion in Formula Two last year, 20-year-old Bortoleto was chasing his manager, Aston Martin's double world champion Fernando Alonso, all the way to the chequered flag at Spielberg on Sunday.

"It couldn't be better to get my first points fighting with him. Unfortunately I didn't manage to overtake him but it was very close," he told Sky Sports television.

Alonso, who made his debut with uncompetitive Minardi at the age of 19 in 2001, knew how important it was for Bortoleto.

"He has been outstanding this season and for one reason or another Hulkenberg was always scoring the points on Sunday," said the Spaniard.

"He felt it was a little bit unfair sometimes that he cannot see his name with points already with the performance he was achieving. Happy for him that he has unlocked this situation now and he can have fun. Hopefully the first of many in the points."

Bortoleto felt his season had followed a familiar pattern from junior series of gaining experience before making rapid progress.

"In F3 I was dominating from the beginning but F2 I had a tough start to the season and I've been growing up a lot during the season and I managed to win," he said.

"And in F1 I think I am doing more or less the same as in F2, growing through the season, learning a lot of things.

"Hopefully (for the rest of the season) we can be fighting for what we have been fighting for today. I feel like if the team keeps doing the job they have been doing this weekend, we can achieve big things."

Team boss Jonathan Wheatley said earlier in the week that Bortoleto was gaining in confidence all the time and the results would come.

"What can I say? An outstanding performance all weekend," he told the driver over team radio at the end. "First points, well-deserved, amazing race and we were in the hunt. We've got a racing car."