The highly anticipated 2024 Formula 1 season is set to kick off in a matter of days and we already have a schedule shakeup.
The first two races are scheduled on a Saturday: the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2nd and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on March 9th.
This departure from the traditional Sunday race day has sparked curiosity among fans, prompting questions about the reasoning behind this scheduling shift.
The decision to commence the season with back-to-back Saturday races is directly influenced by the observance of Ramadan, which begins on Sunday, March 10th – coinciding with the original date for the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix.
In respect of this religious time, the race in Saudi Arabia has been rescheduled to take place on Saturday night, a day earlier than initially planned.
Formula 1 regulations mandate a minimum one-week gap between consecutive races. Consequently, the Bahrain Grand Prix, originally slated for Sunday, March 3rd, has been brought forward to Saturday, March 2nd, ensuring compliance with these regulations.
With the races set on Saturdays, the entire race weekend schedule has undergone adjustments.
Both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekends will feature two one-hour free practice sessions on Thursday, followed by the third free practice and qualifying on Friday.
Notably, race day – Saturday – is dedicated entirely to the main event.
Schedule for Bahrain Grand Prix 2024:
- Thursday, February 29th: First free practice at 11:30 am
- Thursday, February 29th: Second free practice at 3:00 pm
- Friday, March 1st: Third free practice at 12:30 pm
- Friday, March 1st: Qualifying at 4:00 pm
- Saturday, March 2nd: Grand Prix at 3:00 pm
Schedule for Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024:
- Thursday, March 7th: First free practice at 1:30 pm
- Thursday, March 7th: Second free practice at 5:00 pm
- Friday, March 8th: Third free practice at 1:30 pm
- Friday, March 8th: Qualifying at 5:00 pm
- Saturday, March 9th: Grand Prix at 5:00 pm
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix are not the only races on the 2024 calendar to be held on a Saturday. The Las Vegas Grand Prix, scheduled for November 24th, will also take place on a Saturday.
This scheduling decision is primarily driven by the significant time difference with Europe. Holding the race on a Sunday would result in unfavourable viewing times for European audiences, with the race starting in the early hours of Monday morning.
By shifting the race to Saturday, organisers aim to maximise global viewership and engagement.
While Formula 1 races on Saturdays are not entirely unprecedented, they remain relatively rare occurrences.
Only 75 races in Formula 1 history have been held on days other than Sunday, with the most recent example being the 2023 Las Vegas Grand Prix.
Before this, the last Saturday race was held 38 years ago at the 1985 South African Grand Prix.
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