17/01/2024
NEWS STORY
Despite complaints from just about everyone, as was the case last year, the Las Vegas Grand Prix will get underway at 10 pm local time.
The late race start was in order to have the race televised on Sunday morning in what remains the sport's European heartland.
However the move backfired for while Las Vegas is eight hours behind the UK and nine behind continental Europe it was too early in the morning to attract a significant audience, while on the east coast of America it was the middle of the night, and though it was broadcast at prime time in Asia it isn't F1's top market.
Consequently, the Grand Prix attracted the grand total of 1.3 million viewers on ESPN in the US, half the number who tuned in to the inaugural Miami event.
Nonetheless, in their infinite wisdom, organisers - which is F1 itself - have stuck to the same schedule, certainly as far as the race start is concerned.
The timing of the other sessions remains a mystery as these have yet to be confirmed, as is the case with the Chinese, Miami, Austrian, United States, Brazilian and Qatar Grands Prix.
At 24 races, the 2024 season sees the return of China and indeed Imola, which was cancelled last year due to localised flooding.
As was the case last year there are 6 Sprints, and while the Japanese race moves to April the event in Qatar, which saw drivers impacted by the extreme heat, moves from October to December.
| Event |
FP1 Local |
FP2 Local |
FP3 Local |
Qual Local |
Qual GMT |
Race Local |
Race GMT |
| Bahrain * | 14:30 | 18:00 | 15:30 | 19:00 | 16:00 | 18:00 | 15:00 |
| Saudi * | 16:30 | 20:00 | 16:30 | 20:00 | 17:00 | 20:00 | 17:00 |
| Australia | 12:30 | 16:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 05:00 | 15:00 | 04:00 |
| Japan | 11:30 | 15:00 | 11:30 | 15:00 | 06:00 | 14:00 | 05:00 |
| China | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 15:00 | 07:00 |
| Miami | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 16:00 | 20:00 |
| E R | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Monaco | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Canada | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 20:00 | 14:00 | 18:00 |
| Spain | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Austria | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Britain | 12:30 | 16:00 | 11:30 | 15:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 14:00 |
| Hungary | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Belgium | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Netherlands | 12:30 | 16:00 | 11:30 | 15:00 | 13:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Italy | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 14:00 | 15:00 | 13:00 |
| Azerbaijan | 13:30 | 17:00 | 12:30 | 16:00 | 12:00 | 15:00 | 11:00 |
| Singapore | 17:30 | 21:00 | 17:30 | 21:00 | 13:00 | 20:00 | 12:00 |
| US | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 14:00 | 19:00 |
| Mexico ** | 12:30 | 16:00 | 11:30 | 15:00 | 21:00 | 14:00 | 20:00 |
| Brazil | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 14:00 | 17:00 |
| Las Vegas * | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 22:00 | 06:00 |
| Qatar | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | TBC | 20:00 | 17:00 |
| Abu Dhabi | 13:30 | 17:00 | 14:30 | 18:00 | 14:00 | 17:00 | 13:00 |
* FP1 & FP2 will take place on Thursday, FP3 & Qualifying on Friday, and the race on Saturday.
** Daylight Saving Time ends in UK/Europe on Saturday night/Sunday morning.