New Delhi, Sept. 24 -- The Baku City Circuit hosting Saturday's race is around 105 miles (170 kilometers) from the nearest point on Azerbaijan's southern border with Iran. That's closer than the tracks in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia which had races called off earlier this year.

Here's a closer look at the security concerns in Azerbaijan and other countries near Iran, what that could mean for F1 this year and in 2027, and why F1 is racing on a Saturday.

Travel advice shapes decision-making for F1

Azerbaijan has been less directly affected by the Iran war than the Gulf nations, many of which host major U.S. military bases and were targeted by Iranian strikes.

In March, Azerbaijan blamed Iran for a drone strike which injured four civilians ...