diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/CommandCenterPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/CommandCenterPage.tsx
index 29c7493..b355145 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/CommandCenterPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/CommandCenterPage.tsx
@@ -178,6 +178,16 @@ export function CommandCenterPage() {
 
   const lastRacePodium = lastRaceHubQuery.data?.results ?? []
   const lastRaceName = champHub?.last_race ?? lastPastMeeting?.meeting_name ?? ''
+  const focusNarrative =
+    heroStateKind === 'between'
+      ? lastRaceName
+        ? `${lastRaceName} is in the archive. The next chapter begins at ${focusMeeting?.circuit_short_name || focusMeeting?.meeting_name || 'the next round'}.`
+        : 'The season is between race weekends. Use the timeline to revisit a completed round or look ahead.'
+      : currentSession
+        ? `${currentSession.session_name} is the active chapter of this weekend. Session detail remains available as it lands locally.`
+        : nextSession
+          ? `${nextSession.session_name} is next on the timetable. The weekend rail keeps every session and its local analysis in reach.`
+          : 'The weekend timetable is ready to explore.'
 
   if (seasonsQuery.isLoading) {
     return <div className="page loading-state">loading command center…</div>
@@ -226,7 +236,7 @@ export function CommandCenterPage() {
       <div className="cc-topbar">
         <span className="cc-topbar-label mono">box-box · command center</span>
         <span className="cc-topbar-meta mono">
-          {latestSeason} season · {meetingStats.full}/{meetingStats.total || 0} weekends full
+          {latestSeason} season · weekend desk
         </span>
         <span className="cc-live-pill" data-testid="cc-live-status">
           <span className={`cc-live-dot ${liveActive ? 'live' : ''}`} />
@@ -262,6 +272,26 @@ export function CommandCenterPage() {
         />
       )}
 
+      {focusMeeting && (
+        <section className="cc-context" data-testid="cc-circuit-context">
+          <div className="cc-context-decal mono" aria-hidden="true">
+            {countryDecal(focusMeeting)}
+          </div>
+          <div className="cc-context-copy">
+            <span className="cc-context-kicker mono">Circuit context</span>
+            <h2>{focusMeeting.circuit_short_name || focusMeeting.meeting_name}</h2>
+            <p>{focusNarrative}</p>
+          </div>
+          <div className="cc-context-meta mono">
+            <span>{focusMeeting.location || focusMeeting.country_name}</span>
+            <span>{formatGpDateRange(focusMeeting)}</span>
+            <Link to="/preview" className="cc-context-preview">
+              Weekend preview →
+            </Link>
+          </div>
+        </section>
+      )}
+
       <div className="cc-dashboard-grid">
         <div className="cc-dashboard-main">
           <div 
@@ -298,7 +328,9 @@ export function CommandCenterPage() {
                       <div className="cc-calendar-accent" aria-hidden="true" />
                       <div className="cc-calendar-top mono">
                         <span className="cc-calendar-round">R{String(index + 1).padStart(2, '0')}</span>
-                        <span className={`cc-cov-dot cc-cov-${weekend?.source ?? 'none'}`} aria-hidden="true" />
+                        <span className={`cc-calendar-status cc-calendar-status-${status}`}>
+                          {status === 'past' ? 'Archive' : status === 'focus' ? 'Now' : 'Ahead'}
+                        </span>
                       </div>
                       <div className="cc-calendar-id">
                         {countryFlag(meeting) && <span className="cc-calendar-flag">{countryFlag(meeting)}</span>}
@@ -404,9 +436,9 @@ export function CommandCenterPage() {
                       </div>
                       <div className="cc-session-name">{session.session_name}</div>
                       <div className="cc-session-time mono">{formatSessionScheduleTime(session.date_start)}</div>
-                      <div className="cc-session-cov mono">
+                      <div className="cc-session-cov mono" title={formatCoverageHint(datasets)}>
                         <span className={`cc-cov-dot cc-cov-${source}`} aria-hidden="true" />
-                        {formatCoverageHint(datasets)}
+                        {source === 'local' ? 'Analysis ready' : formatCoverageHint(datasets)}
                       </div>
                     </Link>
                   )
@@ -416,6 +448,10 @@ export function CommandCenterPage() {
           )}
 
           <PaddockBriefing />
+          <div className="cc-data-note mono" data-testid="cc-data-note">
+            <span className="cc-cov-dot cc-cov-local" aria-hidden="true" />
+            {meetingStats.full}/{meetingStats.total || 0} locally complete · availability is shown per session
+          </div>
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
@@ -448,4 +484,3 @@ function FormSparkline({ form, color }: { form: number[], color: string }) {
     </svg>
   )
 }
-
diff --git a/frontend/src/styles/app.css b/frontend/src/styles/app.css
index 6889e55..206a77f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/styles/app.css
+++ b/frontend/src/styles/app.css
@@ -4764,3 +4764,137 @@ a { color: inherit; text-decoration: none; }
   background: #f82f34;
   transform: translateY(-1px);
 }
+
+/* Weekend recut: put the active circuit and season journey ahead of data plumbing. */
+.cc-context {
+  position: relative;
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: minmax(84px, 0.3fr) minmax(0, 1fr) auto;
+  gap: var(--s5);
+  align-items: center;
+  min-height: 112px;
+  padding: var(--s5) var(--s6);
+  overflow: hidden;
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+  border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border);
+  background:
+    linear-gradient(90deg, color-mix(in srgb, var(--gp-accent) 9%, transparent), transparent 46%),
+    var(--surface);
+}
+
+.cc-context-decal {
+  color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--gp-accent) 58%, var(--text));
+  font-size: clamp(38px, 6vw, 72px);
+  font-weight: 800;
+  letter-spacing: -0.08em;
+  line-height: 0.75;
+  opacity: 0.72;
+}
+
+.cc-context-copy h2 {
+  font-size: 18px;
+  line-height: 1.15;
+}
+
+.cc-context-kicker {
+  display: block;
+  margin-bottom: var(--s2);
+  color: var(--text-3);
+  font-size: 10px;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: 0.13em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+}
+
+.cc-context-copy p {
+  max-width: 64ch;
+  margin-top: var(--s2);
+  color: var(--text-2);
+  font-size: 12px;
+}
+
+.cc-context-meta {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  align-items: flex-end;
+  gap: var(--s2);
+  color: var(--text-3);
+  font-size: 10px;
+  text-align: right;
+}
+
+.cc-context-preview {
+  margin-top: var(--s2);
+  color: var(--text-2);
+  font-weight: 700;
+}
+.cc-context-preview:hover { color: var(--text); }
+
+.cc-calendar-grid {
+  display: flex;
+  gap: 0;
+  padding: var(--s3) 0 var(--s4);
+  overflow-x: auto;
+  scrollbar-width: thin;
+}
+
+.cc-calendar-card {
+  min-width: 112px;
+  min-height: 138px;
+  flex: 1 0 112px;
+  padding: var(--s3) var(--s4);
+  border-radius: 0;
+  border-width: 1px 1px 1px 0;
+  background: transparent;
+  backdrop-filter: none;
+  -webkit-backdrop-filter: none;
+}
+.cc-calendar-card:first-child { border-left-width: 1px; }
+.cc-calendar-card:hover { transform: none; box-shadow: inset 0 -2px 0 var(--gp-card-accent); }
+.cc-calendar-card::before { display: none; }
+.cc-calendar-accent { top: auto; bottom: 0; height: 2px; opacity: 0.65; }
+.cc-calendar-past { filter: none; opacity: 0.62; }
+.cc-calendar-past:hover { filter: none; opacity: 1; }
+.cc-calendar-focus { background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--gp-card-accent) 10%, transparent); }
+.cc-calendar-decal { font-size: 60px; bottom: -5px; }
+.cc-calendar-status {
+  font-size: 9px;
+  font-weight: 700;
+  letter-spacing: 0.08em;
+  text-transform: uppercase;
+  color: var(--text-3);
+}
+.cc-calendar-status-focus { color: var(--gp-card-accent); }
+.cc-calendar-status-future { color: var(--text-2); }
+
+.cc-data-note {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: var(--s2);
+  padding-top: var(--s4);
+  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
+  color: var(--text-3);
+  font-size: 10px;
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 899px) {
+  .cc-dashboard-grid { gap: var(--s5); }
+  .cc-dashboard-sidebar { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(2, minmax(0, 1fr)); gap: var(--s5); }
+  .cc-briefing, .cc-data-note { grid-column: 1 / -1; }
+}
+
+@media (max-width: 640px) {
+  .cc-context { grid-template-columns: 1fr auto; gap: var(--s4); padding: var(--s4); }
+  .cc-context-decal { display: none; }
+  .cc-context-meta { align-items: flex-start; grid-column: 1 / -1; text-align: left; }
+  .cc-context-copy h2 { font-size: 17px; }
+  .cc-context-copy p { font-size: 11px; }
+  .cc-dashboard-sidebar { display: flex; }
+  .cc-calendar-grid { margin: 0 calc(var(--s4) * -1); padding-left: var(--s4); padding-right: var(--s4); }
+  .cc-calendar-card { min-width: 104px; flex-basis: 104px; }
+  .cc-calendar-circuit { display: none; }
+  .cc-champ-snapshot { order: 2; }
+  .cc-schedule { order: 1; }
+  .cc-briefing { order: 3; margin-top: var(--s4); }
+  .cc-data-note { order: 4; }
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/CommandCenterPage.test.tsx b/frontend/src/test/CommandCenterPage.test.tsx
index 5fbf1c8..76c1583 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/CommandCenterPage.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/test/CommandCenterPage.test.tsx
@@ -189,6 +189,9 @@ describe('CommandCenterPage', () => {
     expect(screen.getByTestId('cc-focus')).toHaveTextContent('Monaco')
     expect(screen.getByTestId('cc-season-calendar')).toHaveTextContent('Season Calendar')
     expect(screen.getByTestId('cc-calendar-1229')).toHaveTextContent('R01')
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('cc-circuit-context')).toHaveTextContent('Circuit context')
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('cc-circuit-context')).toHaveTextContent('Weekend preview')
+    expect(screen.getByTestId('cc-data-note')).toHaveTextContent('availability is shown per session')
     expect(screen.getByText('No live session')).toBeInTheDocument()
     expect(screen.getByTestId('hero-last-race-link')).toHaveTextContent('Monaco')
   })