Azerbaijan GP weekend receives second 'supersized' schedule change

The weekend's schedule has already been shifted a day forward, with the F1 Grand Prix set to take place on Saturday instead of Sunday in order to avoid clashing with Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day on September 27.

Now though, in an unprecedented move, F2 have also altered their Azerbaijan schedule with the expansion of Round 12 that will see an additional Qualifying session and one extra feature race.

Thanks to the revised schedule, action on Thursday will kick off with one 45-minute practice session followed by two 20-minute consecutive Qualifying sessions. On Friday morning, the usual Sprint Race will be determined by the results of the first Qualifying session, as will the first of the Feature Races taking place later that afternoon.

On Saturday morning, the second feature race will go ahead, with the grid having been determined by the results of the second qualifying session.

In a statement from Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel, it has also been confirmed that the usual format will return at the final two rounds at Qatar and Abu Dhabi. However, uncertainty still surrounds the Middle Eastern races amid ongoing conflict in the region.

Michel said: "As Formula 2 is the only Support Event at the Azerbaijan Formula 1 Grand Prix, together with the promoters, we have opted for a supersized F2 race weekend, with one Free Practice, two Qualifying sessions, one Sprint Race and two Feature Races.

On Sunday, GPblog exclusively reported that while Formula One Management (FOM) continues to insist publicly that the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grands Prix will go ahead as scheduled, the 11 teams have been informed behind closed doors that there will be a Grand Prix in Imola, with hotel rooms in the Italian region having already been booked.