F1's Triple Header Set to Shape Title Run-In

Formula 1 begins its most intense stretch of the 2026 season this weekend, as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicks off a triple header that will run through Malaysia and Singapore. The championship picture could be all but settled by the time the three races are done.

Why it matters:

Kimi Antonelli arrives in Baku with a season-high 81-point lead after winning eight of 14 races. With 83 points on offer across the next three rounds — including the Singapore Sprint — the 20-year-old has a golden chance to put the title beyond reach. If he leaves Singapore with a similar gap, his path to becoming the youngest world champion in F1 history will be wide open.

The details:

• Baku's Saturday race opens the run, with Mercedes tipped to be "the big favourite" on the high-speed street circuit, according to Nico Rosberg.
• Sepang returns for the first time since 2017, bringing tropical heat and humidity that no simulator can fully replicate.
• Singapore debuts a Sprint weekend, increasing the chance of chaos on a track where the walls are never far away.
• George Russell is Antonelli's closest rival but is now more than three race wins behind after finishing fifth in Madrid.
• Lewis Hamilton and Lando Norris are 101 and 106 points adrift respectively, effectively leaving the title fight a two-horse race.

What's next:

Mercedes will deploy a significant upgrade in Malaysia, while McLaren brings new parts for Baku. Ferrari and Red Bull also have updates planned as they chase their first wins of the season. Should Antonelli survive the triple header with his lead intact, the remaining six rounds will be little more than a victory lap.