Azerbaijan GP Saturday race; F1 presenter absence; first Aston Martin AMR27 clues – roundup

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21 Sep 2026, 19:59
Azerbaijan GP Saturday race; F1 presenter absence; first Aston Martin AMR27 clues – roundup

As Azerbaijan Grand Prix race week gets underway, let’s bring you up to speed with the latest F1 news headlines.

This year’s Azerbaijan GP will take place on a Saturday, rather than Sunday. Meanwhile, a popular F1 presenter will miss his first race in almost 30 years at the Bahrain GP which follows. Some first clues have also emerged on the Aston Martin AMR27. It is a busy one, and there is much more to get through. So, here we go!

Azerbaijan Grand Prix happens on a Saturday

Mark your calendars now to avoid a weekend mishap. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix runs on Saturday, not Sunday.

The race has been moved forward a day to accommodate Azerbaijan’s Remembrance Day, held on 27 September.

This also has implications for the practice and qualifying schedules.

Read more – Why is the Azerbaijan Grand Prix being held on a Saturday?

Tom Clarkson to be absent from Bahrain GP

Azerbaijan kicks-off a busy triple-header. From there, it is straight on to the Bahrain Grand Prix, in Malaysia.

An ever-present figure in the F1 paddock will not make that trip, however.

Tom Clarkson is away on other business with 1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill.

Clarkson’s absence will bring a truly remarkable streak to an end.

Read more – F1 presenter to miss first race since 1998 in new announcement

Aston Martin AMR27 promises change

The Aston Martin AMR27 “will be a completely new car” for the F1 2027 season.

That is the declaration made by the team’s chief technical officer Enrico Cardile.

Aston Martin’s current creation, the AMR26, conceived under the watch of F1 design guru Adrian Newey, has scored just three points so far in F1 2026, all courtesy of Fernando Alonso.

Cardile also hinted that Newey is “not tied” to the team’s current development path, despite the AMR27 being expected to be an “evolution” of the AMR26.

Read more – First Aston Martin AMR27 clues as Adrian Newey wingman speaks out

Cadillac moves development focus to F1 2027

Aston Martin had found itself in a battle with Cadillac at the back of the 2026 grid.

More recently, the American squad has been cut adrift, after Aston Martin introduced its B-Spec AMR26 chassis and Honda provided a revamped engine.

Sergio Perez had claimed a sense of disappointment exists at Cadillac over a lack of progress, comments which were put to new team principal Marcin Budkowski.

The news that Cadillac is mostly focused on F1 2027 now is potentially not music to the ears of Perez, but Budkowski provided hope for the remainder of the current season.

Read more – Perez concern addressed as Cadillac makes F1 2027 decision

Lewis Hamilton grilled on Ferrari ‘documents’

Hamilton does not recall whether his suggestions of improved communication at Ferrari were included in the “documents” he sent to the team in 2025.

He also warned that any changes will not “happen overnight” at Ferrari. It will take time to change the team’s culture.

Hamilton recently shut down the rumour that he had requested team personnel changes at the Scuderia.

Read more – Lewis Hamilton grilled on ‘documents’ as latest Ferrari rumour denied

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