Ahead of the British Grand Prix, the FIA and Formula 1 announced on Wednesday the series’ 2024 calendar, shaped with a focus on environmental sustainability, bidding for a more efficient schedule to support a record-breaking 24 races.
The 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar, approved by the World Motor Sport Council, comprises a record-breaking 24-race throughout the season, which includes the return of the Chinese Grand Prix after a four-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 outbreak.
Assessing the major modifications of the Formula One 2024 race schedule, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, commented: “We want to make the global spectacle of Formula 1 more efficient in terms of environmental sustainability and more manageable for the traveling staff who dedicate so much of their time to our sport.”
Adding: “Each race can only happen thanks to the collaboration between the FIA, FOM, the promoters, and the host ASNs who bring together the thousands of volunteer marshals and support personnel so that we can go racing and as we forge ahead into the future we must ensure that our priorities grow and develop with the needs of society and what is best for our sport, our fans and our environment.”
According to the planned calendar, which intends to move towards greater regionalization, the pinnacle of motorsport will see the drivers starting their engines in Bahrain on March 2.
In the spotlight of the significant changes revealed on Wednesday is the opening two races of the upcoming season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, which will take place on a Saturday night.
According to the FIA, “this decision has been taken to accommodate Ramadan,” beginning the evening after the race in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
In the Middle East, Ramadan is the holy month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community, starting and ending with the appearance of the crescent moon.
In addition, some venues will move dates, stands out Suzuka in Japan, set to take place in April.
Meanwhile, Azerbaijan switches to September, and Qatar back-to-back with Abu Dhabi,” as per the FIA, the changes aim to achieve a “better flow of races in certain regions.”
Abu Dhabi will serve as the host for the season finale on December 8.
#F1 - 2024 FIA Formula 1 Calendar Announced
— FIA (@fia) July 5, 2023
Full story: https://t.co/3NH9V31eiY pic.twitter.com/pcOhEtw7TI
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, also remarked on the efforts and commitment towards becoming a carbon-neutral racing series by 2030.
“There is huge interest and continued demand for Formula 1, and I believe this calendar strikes the right balance between traditional races and new and existing venues,” he said.
“I want to thank all the promoters and partners for their support and effort to achieve this great schedule. Our journey to a more sustainable calendar will continue in the coming years as we further streamline operations as part of our Net Zero 2030 commitment.”
“We have plenty of racing to look forward to in 2023, including the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, and our fans can look forward to more excitement next season.”
