diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/RaceHubPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/RaceHubPage.tsx
index 195a24a..3e7ec26 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/RaceHubPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/RaceHubPage.tsx
@@ -53,14 +53,6 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
     enabled: preSession && preSessionMeetingKey != null && preSessionMeetingKey > 0,
   })
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    if (sessionKey !== 0) return
-    const target = context?.race_hub_default_session?.session.session_key
-    if (target && !context?.race_hub_pre_session) {
-      navigate({ to: '/race-hub', search: { session_key: target }, replace: true })
-    }
-  }, [sessionKey, context, navigate])
-
   useEffect(() => {
     if (sessionKey !== 0) return
     const delay = refreshDeadlineDelay(context?.race_hub_refresh_at)
@@ -75,11 +67,15 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
     return () => window.clearInterval(timer)
   }, [preSession])
 
+  // A bare route retains canonical context ownership while rendering its
+  // completed analysis selection. Explicit URLs remain user-owned.
+  const selectedSessionKey = sessionKey || context?.race_hub_default_session?.session.session_key || 0
+
   // ─── Active session payload ───
   const raceHubQuery = useQuery({
-    queryKey: ['race-hub', sessionKey],
-    queryFn: () => fetchRaceHub(sessionKey),
-    enabled: sessionKey > 0,
+    queryKey: ['race-hub', selectedSessionKey],
+    queryFn: () => fetchRaceHub(selectedSessionKey),
+    enabled: selectedSessionKey > 0 && (sessionKey > 0 || !preSession),
     staleTime: 30_000,
   })
 
@@ -108,7 +104,7 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
     if (preSession && preSessionRef) {
       return <RaceHubPreSession session={preSessionRef} weekend={preSessionWeekendQuery.data} now={now} />
     }
-    if (!context?.race_hub_default_session) {
+    if (!selectedSessionKey) {
       return (
         <div className="rh-page rh-empty" data-testid="race-hub-empty" style={accentStyle}>
           <div className="rh-empty-band">
@@ -126,18 +122,13 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
         </div>
       )
     }
-    return (
-      <div className="rh-page" style={accentStyle}>
-        <div className="loading-state">resolving latest local weekend…</div>
-      </div>
-    )
   }
 
-  // ─── Loading / error for the requested session_key ───
+  // ─── Loading / error for the selected session ───
   if (raceHubQuery.isLoading) {
     return (
       <div className="rh-page" style={accentStyle}>
-        <div className="loading-state">loading session {sessionKey}…</div>
+        <div className="loading-state">loading session {selectedSessionKey}…</div>
       </div>
     )
   }
@@ -147,7 +138,7 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
         <div className="error-box">
           {raceHubQuery.error instanceof Error
             ? raceHubQuery.error.message
-            : `Failed to load session ${sessionKey}.`}
+            : `Failed to load session ${selectedSessionKey}.`}
         </div>
       </div>
     )
@@ -158,7 +149,7 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
   const sessionMeta = weekend
     ? Object.fromEntries(weekend.sessions.map((w) => [w.session.session_key, w]))
     : {}
-  const activeSessionMeta = sessionMeta[sessionKey]
+  const activeSessionMeta = sessionMeta[selectedSessionKey]
 
   return (
     <div className="rh-page" data-testid="race-hub" style={accentStyle}>
@@ -184,7 +175,7 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
       {switcherOpen && (
         <WeekendSwitcher
           currentMeetingKey={meetingKey}
-          currentSessionKey={sessionKey}
+          currentSessionKey={selectedSessionKey}
           onClose={() => setSwitcherOpen(false)}
         />
       )}
@@ -215,7 +206,7 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
         <nav className="rh-session-rail" aria-label="Weekend sessions" data-testid="rh-session-rail">
           {sessions.map((session) => {
             const meta = sessionMeta[session.session_key]
-            const active = session.session_key === sessionKey
+            const active = session.session_key === selectedSessionKey
             return (
               <button
                 key={session.session_key}
@@ -268,7 +259,7 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
               {formatCoverageHint(activeSessionMeta.datasets)} datasets local
             </span>
           )}
-          <span className="rh-active-key mono">key {sessionKey}</span>
+          <span className="rh-active-key mono">key {selectedSessionKey}</span>
         </div>
       )}
 
@@ -304,7 +295,7 @@ export function RaceHubPage({ sessionKey }: Props) {
             <span className="sec-title">Driver Compare</span>
           </div>
           <CompareView
-            sessionKey={sessionKey}
+            sessionKey={selectedSessionKey}
             results={data.results}
             drivers={data.drivers}
           />
@@ -364,6 +355,7 @@ function RaceHubPreSession({ session, weekend, now }: { session: ContextSession;
   const sessions = sortSessionsByStart((weekend?.sessions ?? []).map((entry) => entry.session))
   const target = new Date(session.session.date_start)
   const accent = countryAccent(meeting ?? null)
+  const pendingLiveEvidence = target.getTime() <= now
 
   return (
     <div className="rh-page rh-empty" data-testid="race-hub-pre-session" style={{ '--gp-accent': accent } as React.CSSProperties}>
@@ -371,7 +363,9 @@ function RaceHubPreSession({ session, weekend, now }: { session: ContextSession;
         <span className="rh-empty-eyebrow mono">box-box · race hub</span>
         <h1 className="rh-empty-title">{meeting?.meeting_name ?? 'Next race weekend'}</h1>
         <p className="rh-empty-sub">
-          {session.session.session_name} begins in <span className="mono">{formatCountdown(target, new Date(now))}</span>
+          {pendingLiveEvidence
+            ? `${session.session.session_name} is scheduled; awaiting live timing.`
+            : <>{session.session.session_name} begins in <span className="mono">{formatCountdown(target, new Date(now))}</span></>}
         </p>
         {sessions.length > 0 && (
           <div className="preview-schedule" data-testid="rh-pre-session-schedule">
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/RaceHubPage.test.tsx b/frontend/src/test/RaceHubPage.test.tsx
index 2a3f7e5..8eeca29 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/RaceHubPage.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/test/RaceHubPage.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach } from 'vitest'
-import { render, screen, waitFor, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest'
+import { act, render, screen, waitFor, fireEvent } from '@testing-library/react'
 import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from '@tanstack/react-query'
 import {
   Outlet,
@@ -215,18 +215,18 @@ function renderRaceHub(sessionKey: number) {
       return <RaceHubPage sessionKey={session_key ?? 0} />
     },
   })
+  window.history.pushState({}, '', sessionKey ? `/race-hub?session_key=${sessionKey}` : '/race-hub')
   const router = createRouter({
     routeTree: rootRoute.addChildren([raceHubRoute]),
     history: undefined,
   })
 
-  // Navigate to the URL before mounting
-  router.navigate({ to: '/race-hub', search: sessionKey ? { session_key: sessionKey } : {} })
-  return render(<RouterProvider router={router} />)
+  return { queryClient, ...render(<RouterProvider router={router} />) }
 }
 
 describe('RaceHubPage', () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers()
     vi.clearAllMocks()
     mockFetchSeasons.mockResolvedValue([2025])
     mockFetchLocalMeetings.mockResolvedValue([meeting])
@@ -235,6 +235,10 @@ describe('RaceHubPage', () => {
     mockFetchWeekendContext.mockResolvedValue(analysisContext)
   })
 
+  afterEach(() => {
+    vi.useRealTimers()
+  })
+
   it('renders the workspace identity band, session rail, and overview for a known session', async () => {
     renderRaceHub(9472)
 
@@ -280,7 +284,7 @@ describe('RaceHubPage', () => {
     expect(await screen.findByTestId('rh-switcher')).toBeInTheDocument()
   })
 
-  it('uses the server-selected completed analysis session for bare Race Hub', async () => {
+  it('uses the server-selected completed analysis session for bare Race Hub without changing the URL', async () => {
     renderRaceHub(0)
 
     await waitFor(() => expect(mockFetchRaceHub).toHaveBeenCalledWith(9472))
@@ -319,4 +323,42 @@ describe('RaceHubPage', () => {
     expect(await screen.findByTestId('race-hub-empty')).toHaveTextContent('No completed local analysis yet')
     expect(mockFetchRaceHub).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
+
+  it('hands a bare route from completed analysis to pre-session at the supplied refresh boundary', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers({ shouldAdvanceTime: true })
+    const handoff = new Date(Date.now() + 10_000).toISOString()
+    const pendingContext: WeekendContext = {
+      ...analysisContext,
+      race_hub_default_session: {
+        session: { ...raceSession, session_key: 9473, session_name: 'Practice 1', session_type: 'Practice', date_start: handoff },
+        meeting,
+        availability,
+      },
+      race_hub_pre_session: true,
+      race_hub_refresh_at: new Date(Date.now() + 16_000).toISOString(),
+    }
+    mockFetchWeekendContext
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({ ...analysisContext, race_hub_refresh_at: handoff })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce(pendingContext)
+
+    renderRaceHub(0)
+    await screen.findByTestId('race-hub')
+    await act(async () => { await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(10_000) })
+
+    expect(await screen.findByTestId('race-hub-pre-session')).toBeInTheDocument()
+    expect(mockFetchWeekendContext).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+    expect(mockFetchRaceHub).toHaveBeenCalledWith(9472)
+    expect(mockFetchRaceHub).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(9473)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps an explicit session URL stable across the canonical refresh boundary', async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers()
+    renderRaceHub(9472)
+
+    await act(async () => { await vi.advanceTimersByTimeAsync(60_000) })
+
+    expect(mockFetchWeekendContext).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    expect(mockFetchRaceHub).toHaveBeenCalledWith(9472)
+    expect(mockFetchRaceHub).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith(9473)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/internal/query/context.go b/internal/query/context.go
index 31a7f8a..63cb30b 100644
--- a/internal/query/context.go
+++ b/internal/query/context.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ const (
 
 	preSessionWindow  = 48 * time.Hour
 	postWeekendWindow = 48 * time.Hour
+	raceHubPendingPollInterval = 15 * time.Second
 )
 
 // LiveEvidence is the small, transport-independent subset of FIA state needed
@@ -153,7 +154,7 @@ func (s *Service) ResolveWeekendContext(evidence LiveEvidence) (WeekendContext,
 		}
 	}
 
-	var previous, next, defaultAnalysis *contextCandidate
+	var previous, next, defaultAnalysis, pending *contextCandidate
 	for i := range candidates {
 		c := &candidates[i]
 		isActive := active != nil && active.session.SessionKey != 0 && c.session.SessionKey == active.session.SessionKey
@@ -167,6 +168,10 @@ func (s *Service) ResolveWeekendContext(evidence LiveEvidence) (WeekendContext,
 		if !isActive && !c.start.IsZero() && !c.start.Before(now) && (next == nil || c.start.Before(next.start)) {
 			next = c
 		}
+		if !isActive && !c.complete && !c.start.IsZero() && !c.start.After(now) &&
+			(c.end.IsZero() || now.Before(c.end)) && (pending == nil || c.start.After(pending.start)) {
+			pending = c
+		}
 	}
 
 	if previous != nil {
@@ -191,14 +196,14 @@ func (s *Service) ResolveWeekendContext(evidence LiveEvidence) (WeekendContext,
 	if out.FocusMeeting != nil {
 		out.ChampionshipRound = championshipRound(champMeetings, int(out.FocusMeeting.MeetingKey))
 	}
-	applyRaceHubDefault(&out, active, defaultAnalysis, next, now)
+	applyRaceHubDefault(&out, active, defaultAnalysis, next, pending, now)
 	return out, nil
 }
 
 // applyRaceHubDefault is deliberately distinct from TemporalPreSession. Other
 // weekend surfaces begin preparation 48 hours ahead; Race Hub remains an
 // analysis destination until the one-hour handoff before the next session.
-func applyRaceHubDefault(out *WeekendContext, active, analysis, next *contextCandidate, now time.Time) {
+func applyRaceHubDefault(out *WeekendContext, active, analysis, next, pending *contextCandidate, now time.Time) {
 	if active != nil {
 		out.RaceHubDefaultSession = out.ActiveSession
 		return
@@ -214,6 +219,12 @@ func applyRaceHubDefault(out *WeekendContext, active, analysis, next *contextCan
 			return
 		}
 	}
+	if pending != nil {
+		out.RaceHubDefaultSession = sessionRef(*pending, LiveEvidence{}, now)
+		out.RaceHubPreSession = true
+		out.RaceHubRefreshAt = now.Add(raceHubPendingPollInterval).Format(time.RFC3339)
+		return
+	}
 	if analysis != nil {
 		out.RaceHubDefaultSession = out.DefaultAnalysisSession
 	}
diff --git a/internal/query/context_test.go b/internal/query/context_test.go
index 47b4620..3143b29 100644
--- a/internal/query/context_test.go
+++ b/internal/query/context_test.go
@@ -441,6 +441,22 @@ func TestResolveWeekendContextRaceHubDefault(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	})
 
+	t.Run("keeps the scheduled session pending after its start without live evidence", func(t *testing.T) {
+		now, _ := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, "2026-07-17T09:00:00Z")
+		svc := contextService(t, now)
+		seed(t, svc)
+		got, err := svc.ResolveWeekendContext(LiveEvidence{})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if got.RaceHubDefaultSession == nil || got.RaceHubDefaultSession.Session.SessionKey != 21 || !got.RaceHubPreSession {
+			t.Fatalf("scheduled race hub default = %+v, pre-session = %t", got.RaceHubDefaultSession, got.RaceHubPreSession)
+		}
+		if got.RaceHubRefreshAt != "2026-07-17T09:00:15Z" {
+			t.Fatalf("refresh = %q", got.RaceHubRefreshAt)
+		}
+	})
+
 	t.Run("active live session wins", func(t *testing.T) {
 		now, _ := time.Parse(time.RFC3339, "2026-07-17T08:30:00Z")
 		svc := contextService(t, now)
diff --git a/tests/race-hub.spec.ts b/tests/race-hub.spec.ts
index 66b0b43..c27458e 100644
--- a/tests/race-hub.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/race-hub.spec.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,42 @@ import { test, expect } from '@playwright/test'
 
 const FULL_SESSION = 9472
 const CORE_ONLY_SESSION = 9000
+const CONTEXT_MEETING = {
+  meeting_key: 1229,
+  meeting_name: 'Monaco',
+  country_code: 'MON',
+}
+const CONTEXT_AVAILABILITY = {
+  source: 'local', schedule: 'available', live_transport: 'unknown', live_session: 'inactive',
+  archive: 'unavailable', local_analysis: 'complete', freshness: 'local', limitations: [],
+}
+
+function completedContext(refreshAt?: string) {
+  return {
+    temporal_state: 'between_weekends',
+    race_hub_default_session: {
+      session: { session_key: FULL_SESSION }, meeting: CONTEXT_MEETING, availability: CONTEXT_AVAILABILITY,
+    },
+    race_hub_pre_session: false,
+    race_hub_refresh_at: refreshAt,
+  }
+}
+
+function pendingContext(refreshAt: string) {
+  return {
+    temporal_state: 'pre_session',
+    race_hub_default_session: {
+      session: {
+        session_key: 9473, meeting_key: 1229, session_name: 'Practice 1', session_type: 'Practice',
+        date_start: '2030-01-01T00:00:01Z', date_end: '2030-01-01T01:00:01Z', gmt_offset: '00:00:00',
+      },
+      meeting: CONTEXT_MEETING,
+      availability: { ...CONTEXT_AVAILABILITY, local_analysis: 'not_applicable' },
+    },
+    race_hub_pre_session: true,
+    race_hub_refresh_at: refreshAt,
+  }
+}
 
 test.describe('Race Hub Weekend Workspace', () => {
   test('lands on the Overview tab with workspace identity', async ({ page }) => {
@@ -102,9 +138,65 @@ test.describe('Race Hub Weekend Workspace', () => {
     )
   })
 
-  test('bare /race-hub redirects to the focus session', async ({ page }) => {
+  test('bare /race-hub shows server-selected completed analysis without changing the URL', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.route('**/api/v1/weekend-context', (route) =>
+      route.fulfill({ contentType: 'application/json', body: JSON.stringify(completedContext()) }),
+    )
     await page.goto('/race-hub')
-    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/session_key=\d+/)
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/race-hub$/)
     await expect(page.getByTestId('race-hub')).toBeVisible()
   })
+
+  test('bare /race-hub hands off to pending pre-session state at the refresh deadline', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.clock.install({ time: new Date('2030-01-01T00:00:00Z') })
+    let requests = 0
+    const raceHubRequests: number[] = []
+    page.on('request', (request) => {
+      const url = new URL(request.url())
+      if (url.pathname === '/api/v1/race-hub') {
+        raceHubRequests.push(Number(url.searchParams.get('session_key')))
+      }
+    })
+    await page.route('**/api/v1/weekend-context', (route) => {
+      requests += 1
+      const body = requests === 1
+        ? completedContext('2030-01-01T00:00:01Z')
+        : pendingContext('2030-01-01T00:00:16Z')
+      return route.fulfill({ contentType: 'application/json', body: JSON.stringify(body) })
+    })
+
+    await page.goto('/race-hub')
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('race-hub')).toBeVisible()
+    await page.clock.fastForward(1_000)
+
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('race-hub-pre-session')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(/\/race-hub$/)
+    expect(raceHubRequests).toContain(FULL_SESSION)
+    expect(raceHubRequests).not.toContain(9473)
+  })
+
+  test('bare /race-hub recovers when no completed local analysis exists', async ({ page }) => {
+    await page.route('**/api/v1/weekend-context', (route) =>
+      route.fulfill({
+        contentType: 'application/json',
+        body: JSON.stringify({ temporal_state: 'between_weekends', race_hub_pre_session: false }),
+      }),
+    )
+
+    await page.goto('/race-hub')
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('race-hub-empty')).toContainText('No completed local analysis yet')
+  })
+
+  test('an explicit session URL remains stable when canonical context would refresh', async ({ page }) => {
+    let contextRequested = false
+    await page.route('**/api/v1/weekend-context', (route) => {
+      contextRequested = true
+      return route.fulfill({ contentType: 'application/json', body: JSON.stringify(pendingContext('2030-01-01T00:00:01Z')) })
+    })
+
+    await page.goto(`/race-hub?session_key=${FULL_SESSION}`)
+    await expect(page.getByTestId('race-hub')).toBeVisible()
+    await expect(page).toHaveURL(new RegExp(`session_key=${FULL_SESSION}`))
+    expect(contextRequested).toBe(false)
+  })
 })