The longest F1 season ever is about to get underway, and there are some tracks on the calendar to get excited about.
The 2024 F1 season is set to have 24 races. This will make it the longest F1 season in the sport’s entire history. Pre-season testing has given us our first taste of Formula 1 this year, and now the excitement for the first Grand Prix has grown. There are several race weekends to look forward to, but there are a particular few that are highly anticipated.
1. The Bahrain Grand Prix
Because of Ramadan, the first two races of the 2024 season will held be on Saturdays. Ramadan will begin on Sunday the 10th of March, which is why the second race of the season – Saudia Arabia GP – has been moved to Saturday. Bahrain was also moved to a Saturday to ensure that there is a normal time gap between the two events.
The first race of the season is always one to look forward to, no matter the venue. Bahrain is a great track that has presented thrilling racing before, and it is where pre-season testing took place. However, it is not just the nature of the track that is worth getting excited over.
At the Bahrain Grand Prix, we will get to see what the F1 teams have made over the winter in a true test. In real qualifying and racing conditions, many questions will be answered, and the pace for the rest of the season will be set.
After 97 days without racing action, it’s safe to say that the 2nd of March cannot come any sooner.
2. The Chinese Grand Prix
F1 will be back to racing in China in April this year. The last time China held an F1 race was back in 2019, with Covid-19 making a return to the track impossible in the last 4 years. The race will be once again held at the Shanghai International Circuit. China will also host the first of six Sprint weekends this year.
Michael Schumacher holds the lap record at the Shanghai International Circuit with a time of 1:32.238 back in 2004 while in a Ferrari. It is also where the legend took his last race win in F1. Another memorable event from the track was when a young Sebastian Vettel claimed Red Bull’s first-ever race win.
Lewis Hamilton is the most successful F1 driver at the Shanghai International Circuit, having won a total of six times. This also makes Mercedes the most successful constructor on the track. Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg are tied for second as the most successful drivers at this circuit with 2 wins each. Ferrari is the second most successful constructor at the Shanghai International Circuit with 4 wins with 4 different drivers.
The 2019 Chinese Grand Prix gave us a podium of Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Sebastian Vettel in P1, P2 and P3 respectively. Could Mercedes and Ferrari find themselves on the podium this time around?
3. The British and Singapore Grand Prix
Since the introduction of the new regulations in 2022, Silverstone and Marina Bay have delivered some of the most exhilarating races of the era.
Silverstone 2022 gave us the famous “Here comes Hamilton!” It was also the weekend where Carlos Sainz earned his maiden F1 victory. Meanwhile, Singapore 2023 gave us our first non-Red Bull win of the 2023 season.
Silverstone is one of the few traditional circuits still on the F1 calendar that might not be losing its place any time soon. Traditional circuits are known for delivering great racing action, and Silverstone is one of those that has evolved with the times. It continues to be exciting, and it is worth looking forward to for the 2024 season.
The number of street circuits is growing on the F1 calendar. Marina Bay though, has been there since 2008 and it has been exhilarating since. Known as one of the most vigorous tracks F1 drivers race on, it is always a pleasure to witness pure hard racing under the lights. It is a true test of a driver’s abilities, and without a doubt, the Singapore Grand Prix will deliver in 2024.
4. The Brazil and Las Vegas Grand Prix
The two races follow each other on the calendar. Although not a doubleheader, it will be exciting to watch them back-to-back.
The Brazil GP has been where Drivers’ Championship winners have been decided, and where title fights have been rejuvenated. The famous “Is that Timo Glock?” when Hamilton went on to claim his first WDC back in 2008, and Hamilton’s incredible drive from last to first in 2021 are both memorable events that Sao Paulo delivered.
As for Las Vegas, despite only racing there once – in 2023 – it is a grand prix to look forward to. There were a healthy number of doubts as it was yet another street circuit added to the calendar. However, it delivered one of the best races of the 2023 season. The racing is not all to look forward to. The logistics of the race weekend last season were highly controversial. It will be interesting to see what direction Liberty and the FIA will take this time around.
The longest F1 season in the sport’s entire history will begin on 29th February in Bahrain. The season finale will be on 8th December, in our typical season closer, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
