Photo by BEN STANSALL/AFP via Getty Images
F1 heads right back to the track this week with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Formula 1 is back for the second-straight Saturday race to open the 2024 season. After the dominance we saw from Red Bull in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, can another team — perhaps Ferrari — threaten Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez this week?
The grid moves to Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, taking to the streets at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The Jeddah Circuit is the second-longest track on the F1 schedule, covering over 3.8 miles.
The race comes as F1 is facing a firestorm on multiple fronts. There is the ongoing controversy over Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner — which is on the verge of tearing the team apart internally, according to multiple reports — and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is facing his own controversies, including an allegation he intervened in a potential penalty for driver Fernando Alonso during last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
It all gets underway this week. Here is how to watch, and what to watch for.
How To Watch (all times Eastern):
Practice 1 – Thursday March 7 – 8:25 a.m. – ESPNU/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
Practice 2 – Thursday March 7 – 11:55 a.m. – ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
Practice 3 – Friday March 8 – 8:25 a.m. – ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
F1: Qualifying Pre-Show – Friday March 8 – 8:25 a.m. – ESPN3/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
Qualifying – Friday March 8 – 11:55 a.m. – ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
Grand Prix Saturday (Pre-race Show) – Saturday March 9 – 10:30 a.m. – ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
Grand Prix Race – Saturday March 9 – 11:55 a.m. – ESPN2/ESPN Deportes/ESPN+
Grand Prix Race (Replay) – Saturday March 9 – 10:00 p.m. – ESPNNEWS/ESPN+
In addition, you can stream the Bahrain Grand Prix and much, much more on F1TV. With an F1TV subscription fans can watch practice sessions, cycle through driver onboard cameras, watch F2 and F3 practices, qualifying, and feature races, and gain access to exclusive F1TV content. Shows on F1TV include “Jolyon Palmer’s Analysis,” “Tech Talk” with Sam Collins, “Weekend Warm-Up,” and more.
What to Watch:
Here are some of the major storylines heading into the second race of the season.
What is happening at Red Bull?
What is happening at the FIA with President Mohammed Ben Sulayem?
Oh, and can anyone catch Red Bull?
Can Sergio Pérez repeat?
Will Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo get along?
All the F1 terms you need to know before Saturday’s Grand Prix
