The Japanese Formula 1 Grand Prix could even take place in the spring of next year, although the field usually visits Suzuka in the fall. On the other hand, the change will be part of the World Cup environmental protection efforts, the desired result of which will be to reduce the environmental footprint to zero by 2030.
In recent years, the competition calendar has received a lot of criticism for the fact that the organizers do not build it in a logical order by location, which greatly increases the number of trips and the distance traveled during them. However, this may change in 2024, as I mentioned before GrandPrix.com I mentioned, but the formula is further complicated by the fact that, in light of Ramadan, the Grand Prix will be held in Saudi Arabia as the season opener at the beginning of March, followed by a weekend in Jeddah in Australia, China and Japan, as they prepare to return after a four-year absence.
According to Stefano Domenicali’s ideas, this will be achieved by starting the season on March 3, and then the next three races will be held on the 17th, 24th and 31st, that is, three weekends in a row. This means that Bahrain, which is hosting the pre-season tests, will only be the fifth stop, already in April, although the field will be tested at the Suhairi track between February 22 and 24.
Next year, the Formula 1 Championship may start in Saudi Arabia before Ramadan. (Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool)
The formula outlined by the Formula 1 CEO will make things really difficult for European fans, as well as teams away from home for more than a month, as it means they will have to stay up for a long time on three weekends. In a row, or getting up very early, if at all to rest.
On top of all that, the Japanese Grand Prix in March will be like a lottery, as spring is usually a rainy season in the Asian island nation, as Super Formula witnessed during last weekend’s season opener. It has been suggested that the Singapore Grand Prix could be moved to the racing calendar instead of Japan, but the city-state’s promoters are not at all open to changing the date, stating, among other things, that this would negatively affect ticket sales among regular customers. In principle, the street circuit that hosts the night race has a greater role to play in this matter, because it also pays more for organizing the race.
At the same time, Domenicali’s plans for next year are still in the planning stage, however, and he is known to not have given up on expanding the 2024 schedule to 25 races, but is trying to make it less physically demanding for the teams. In addition, this may not be the end of the series of changes regarding the race calendar, whether it comes to long-term ideas: as mentioned, the F1 leader suggested over the weekend of the Australian Grand Prix that the race dates could be changed in a way that would make European spectators more human-friendly. And, at the same time, I will make the series livelier with more night battles.
