01/02/2018
NEWS STORY
As expected, ahead of the new season F1 has announced changes to the race start and session times.
From Melbourne all races will start at ten minutes past the hour, Formula One Management reasoning that: "Some broadcasters usually go on air precisely on the hour, hence missing the tension and emotion that characterize the minutes before the start of each Grand Prix. Thanks to this change, television viewers will be brought closer to the teams and the drivers and fully enjoy the spectacle offered just before the red lights go out."
An additional change sees all sessions at the European rounds and in Brazil, start an hour later than usual. Again, FOM argues: "Research has indicated that a wider TV audience is reachable later in the afternoons, especially in the summer months. Consequently, it has been decided to move the schedule of every session back by one hour across the whole weekend for each of the above-mentioned Grands Prix."
"Other minor adjustments have been made in order to avoid clashes with other major sports events like the FIFA World Cup," added FOM, "to allow for differing sunset times, and to attract a wider attendance to promoters' events."