The 2024 Formula 1 season is introducing a departure from the norm, with three of its races scheduled for Saturdays.
Fans can look forward to weekend races right at the start of the year in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and then later in 2024 in Las Vegas.
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The scheduling for the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grand Prix is influenced by the onset of Ramadan. With the holy month beginning at sunset on Saturday, 9th March 2024 – coinciding with race day in Jedda – both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races have been moved to Saturday.
This adjustment allows the F1 teams an extra day for travel and setup between the two venues, a crucial factor considering the lengthy 15-hour road trip required between these locations.
Las Vegas Grand Prix
The Las Vegas Grand Prix, occurring later in the year, also finds itself on a Saturday but for a different reason: optimising viewership across the American and European audiences. The goal is to find the ideal time slot that caters to both regions. As a result, the race in Las Vegas is scheduled for Saturday night.
Renee Wilm, CEO of the Las Vegas GP, comments on this decision: “We have found a solution so that European fans can watch the race with a cup of coffee at six or seven in the morning, just like it happens in the U.S. during the European races.”
For American audiences, the Las Vegas GP will be an exciting 10 pm event.
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