Racing fans are looking forward to another Formula 1 cycle following the turn of the year as excitement is building up ahead of the start of the season. And, with the calendar set to begin in around six weeks. Here's what you need to know.
2024 F1 calendar
The 2024 F1 campaign is scheduled to kick off on February 29 and will offer a record 24 races. The FIA has regionalized the calendar to make the series more sustainable, which has resulted in the Japanese GP being pushed forward to April from September.
The Chinese GP will return to the F1 calendar for the first time in four years, following its cancellation, while the Qatar GP will come before the final race of the season. This should help curb the heat problems drivers complained about last year and will also make moving cars and equipment to the season closer in Abu Dhabi easier.
You can check out the full calendar below:
29 February-2 March - Bahrain - GP Sakhir
7-9 March - Saudi Arabian GP - Jeddah
22-24 March - Australian GP - Melbourne
5-7 April - Japanese GP - Suzuka
19-21 April - Chinese GP - Shanghai
3-5 May - Miami GP - Miami
17-19 May - Emilia Romagna GP - Imola
24-26 May - Monaco GP - Monaco
7-9 June - Canadian GP - Montreal
21-23 June - Spanish GP - Barcelona
28-30 June - Austrian GP - Spielberg
5-7 July - British GP - Silverstone
19-21 July - Hungarian GP - Budapest
26-28 July - Belgian GP - Spa
23-25 August - Dutch GP - Zandvoort
30 August-1 September - Italian GP - Monza
13-15 September - Azerbaijan GP - Baku
20-22 September - Singapore GP - Singapore
18-20 October - United States GP - Austin
25-27 October - Mexican GP - Mexico City
1-3 November - Brazilian GP - Sao Paulo
21-23 November - Las Vegas GP - Las Vegas
29 November -1 December - Qatar GP - Losail
6-8 December - Abu Dhabi GP - Yas Marina
As you can see above, and as expected, some of these races will be held on U.S. soil. In the United States, sports betting has surged in popularity following the 2018 Supreme Court decision that allowed states to legalize it. This change led to a wave of states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Colorado, introducing regulated sports betting markets.
North Carolina, known for its deep connection with NASCAR and a strong racing fanbase, is on the brink of joining these states. Although it hasn't hosted major racing events recently, its residents are avid followers of such events, especially those involving NASCAR. The imminent launch of sports betting in North Carolina is highly anticipated, promising to bring a variety of betting promotions to NC and opportunities tailored to popular local sports. This move is expected to not only cater to the sports enthusiasm in the state but also bring in new economic benefits similar to other states that have legalized sports wagering.
2024 F1 driver line-up
The driver setup hasn't changed from last year where F1 is concerned, with all teams sticking to the drivers they ended the season with, though multiple contracts will hit expiration at the end of the year.
Daniel Ricciardo is staying at AlphaTauri after the team cut Nyck de Vries during the middle of last term. Sergio Perez is also staying at Red Bull following rife speculation over a possible exit, with Ricciardo also linked as it's rumored he could join the latter in 2025.
While the grid isn't being shaken up from what we saw at the end of last season, 13 of 20 seats will be up for grabs in 2025.
Check the grid out below:
Alfa Romeo: Valtteri Bottas, Zhou Guanyu
AlphaTauri: Daniel Ricciardo, Yuki Tsunoda
Alpine: Pierre Gasly, Esteban Ocon
Aston Martin: Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz
Haas: Nico Hulkenberg, Kevin Magnussen
McLaren: Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri
Mercedes: Lewis Hamilton, George Russell
Red Bull: Sergio Perez, Max Verstappen
Williams: Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant
2024 F1 car launch dates
Car launch dates are being announced by various teams in the buildup to the new season. As pre-season testing is set to begin on February 21, teams will reveal their cars a bit earlier than they did last season.
Cars launched between January 31 - February 16 in 2023.
The launch dates for 2024 are below:
Sauber: 5 February 2024
Williams: 5 February 2024
Alpine: 7 February 2024
Aston Martin: 12 February 2024
Ferrari: 13 February 2024
McLaren: 14 February 2024
Mercedes: 14 February 2024
Red Bull: 15 February 2024
F1 pre-season testing
F1's pre-season testing is scheduled to take place in Bahrain starting from 21 February 2024. The teams will have three days for testing before the first grand prix the following week.
To make the series more sustainable, the FIA has decided to hold the testing sessions in Bahrain. This will eliminate the need for transportation of cars and equipment between pre-season testing and the first grand prix of the year.
The FIA has also revised the timings for the testing, which will now take place between 10 am and 7 pm, instead of the 7:30 pm time from last year.
Regulation Changes
The FIA has modified the rules regarding the testing of old cars, now requiring that any components used must have already been utilized during a race weekend.
According to the revised Article 10.2 C) of the Sporting Regulations, cars must only use components and software that have been employed in at least one Competition or TCC (testing of a current car) of a Championship season. This change in regulations will prevent teams from trying to gain any advantage outside of testing restrictions by using new components on an old car.
