Formula 1 calendar for 2024 ‘longest in history’ with record 24 races

The 2024 Formula One season will feature 24 races for what will be the longest calendar in the sport’s history.

The season will begin in Bahrain on March 2 and finish in Abu Dhabi on Dec. 8.

I am delighted to announce the 2024 calendar with 24 races that will deliver an exciting season for our fans around the world,” said Stefano Domenicali, the president and CEO of Formula 1. There is huge interest and continued demand for Formula 1, and I believe this calendar strikes the right balance between traditional races and new and existing venues.

The opening two races of the season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will take place on a Saturday instead of Sunday to accommodate the Muslim holy period of Ramadan, organizers said.

The Chinese Grand Prix will return for the first time since 2019.

To achieve a more regionalized calendar and improve travel sustainability, three races have switched position for 2024. The Japanese Grand Prix will move from a September date to April, while the Azerbaijan Grand Prix switches from April to September. Qatar shifts from October to the first weekend of December.

Formula 1 has made clear its intention to move towards greater calendar regionalisation, reducing logistical burdens and making the season more sustainable, said FIA, the sport’s governing body. By moving Japan to April, Azerbaijan to September and Qatar back-to-back with Abu Dhabi, this calendar creates a better flow of races in certain regions, and this work will continue while being realistic to the fact that as a world championship, with climactic and contractual constraints, there will always be travel required that cannot be completely regionalized.