Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Diving into the schedule and more for the 2024 F1 season
The curtain fell on the 2023 Formula 1 season Sunday at Yas Marina, with the year-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. While that race ended like so many others this season — with Max Verstappen standing on the tallest podium following the checkered flag falling — many F1 fans are coming to grips with a quiet grid now, with the season over.
If you fall into that category, fear not!
Because in less than 100 days it all gets rolling again.
Here are the important dates for the 2024 season, along with some initial thoughts on F1’s most ambitious schedule yet:
The 2024 F1 schedule is the most ambitious yet
Ahead of the 2023 season, the schedule that was announced was F1’s most ambitious yet, with a record 24 grands prix.
However, with the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of the season due to ongoing COVID concerns, as well as the cancelation of the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix due to flooding in the region, 24 races dropped down to 22.
Both of those races are back on the schedule, bringing next year’s slate back up to 24 races. Factor in the pre-season testing slated for the week ahead of the season at Sakhir, ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, and you have 25 weeks of F1 action to look forward to.
The 2024 F1 season will be a grind
As the 2023 season wound down, drivers were faced with the prospects of adjusting to a night-time race in Las Vegas, and then flying halfway around the world to a race in Abu Dhabi a week later.
The result? A lot of tired — and ill — drivers. George Russell, whose P3 in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix helped secure second place in the Constructors’ Championship for Mercedes, was under the weather the week of the race, and was coughing during both the podium session as well as the post-race press conference. Alpine driver Esteban Ocon fell ill as well, and missed media responsibilities on the Thursday ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“We didn’t see the sun for four days,” Ocon said regarding the Las Vegas trip. “It’s obviously not optimal to be in bed for two days before an F1 race.”
If you thought that back-to-back was tough, it gets worse next year.
Because the season concludes with a triple-header, that will take drivers from Las Vegas, to Qatar, and finally to Abu Dhabi to close out the year.
Not only that, but the Las Vegas-Qatar-Abu Dhabi is one of three triple-headers on the schedule for 2024. There is also the triple-header that spans the end of June into July, with Spain-Austria-Great Britain, which stands as the first triple of the year. The other is the now traditional United States-Mexican-Brazilian grands prix which runs from late October into November.
Teams and drivers will have a three-week gap before that final triple of the year.
If one wants to get super particular, there is also a triple-header that starts the year, with pre-season testing followed by the Bahrain Grand Prix a week later, and then the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. However, at least the first event is testing, and not another grand prix.
Back-to-back Saturdays open the year
The season begins with a pair of Saturday evening races, with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2 followed by the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix a week later. This scheduling tweak was made to accommodate Ramadan, which begins on Sunday, March 10.
Opening with Saturday races allows both to be completed ahead of Ramadan.
2024 sees a move towards more “regional” groupings
As part of F1’s NetZero campaign, and a push towards sustainability, the 2024 F1 schedule differs from what we have seen in recent years. One main tweak? A move towards more “regional” groupings, which may ease travel, logistics, and make freight more efficient.
For example the Japanese Grand Prix, which has previously occupied a spot at the end of the season, has been pushed forward, grouping it with the Australian Grand Prix and the returning Chinese Grand Prix. There is also a week-long gap between each of those races, to ease logistics.
That might make for some tough decisions for personnel, however.
There is also another Asian swing, following the European schedule, that will bring the grid from the Italian Grand Prix at the start of September to Azerbaijan, and then Singapore.
So, there is a quick look at the season ahead, now that 2023 is officially in the books. For those of you missing F1 action already, as noted above pre-season testing gets underway in just 85 days.
Plus, you know there will be stories all winter long about car development, driver movement — we are still waiting on a Logan Sargeant decision after all — and the highly-anticipated livery reveals that will dot the calendar in February. And yes another season of Drive to Survive.
So, hang tight. F1 will be back before you know it.
