Did you notice these key aspects of the F1 2024 calendar?

Saturday grands prix

The first two rounds of the 2024 season will feature a grand prix on a Saturday, in a major break from tradition.

The reason is to respect Ramadan, the Muslim holy festival.

Ramadan begins on Sunday March 10, so the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix has been shifted to Saturday March 9 so it does not coincide.

And due to freight logistics, the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix (which is exactly a week before Saudi Arabia) has also been moved to a Saturday race day.

The F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, later in the year, will also be on a Saturday.

China is back on the calendar

The Chinese Grand Prix was cancelled this season due to the effects of Covid-19 that still lurk in the country.

As a result, it has now been absent for four years.

But it has not affected China’s place on the 2024 schedule. It remains an important part of the world for F1 and its owners.

How to be more sustainable

F1 has attempted to group together events in nearby locations to minimise travelling and logistics.

For example, the season-opening Bahrain and Saudi Arabian grands prix are in consecutive weeks, rather than either side of a break. This means F1 team members will travel directly from Bahrain to Saudi Arabia, rather than making an additional trip back home in between.

Japan has been moved from its usual slot in September to April, after Australia and before China.

And Azerbaijan has been moved to a week before Singapore.

Silverstone concludes a triple-header

The F1 British Grand Prix on July 7, 2024, will be the third stop of a triple-header.

Spain, Austria and Silverstone will be on consecutive weeks - a key period for F1 teams in terms of their development and their logistics.

There are three triple-headers across the year.

United States, Mexican and Brazilian are in consecutive weeks. Then the season ends with Las Vegas, Qatar, Abu Dhabi.

A new break

There is a three-week gap, in addition to the usual summer break, between Singapore (September 24) and Austin (October 20).

Will the record be broken this time?

A year ago, F1 announced a 24-race schedule for 2023 but it didn’t quite work out.

First China was cancelled then, just days beforehand, Emilia-Romagna also dropped off due to the terrible flooding in the Italian region.

In 2024, F1 will again attempt a 24-race schedule which, if completed, would be a record number of grands prix.

When is pre-season testing?

Subject to FIACommission approval, pre-season testing in Bahrain will be February 21-23. That’s one week before the season-opening grand prix in the same location.

How many sprint races will there be?

F1 has not yet confirmed plans for sprint races in 2024.