News article
Climate concerns influence F1’s 2024 calendar
Formula One has made a move towards greater calendar regionalisation in its schedule for the 2024 season in a bid to make the campaign more sustainable by easing logistical challenges.
The calendar, which has been approved by the World Motor Sport Council, features 24 races and will begin in Bahrain on March 2 and finish in Abu Dhabi on December 8.
By moving Japan to April, Azerbaijan to September and Qatar back-to-back with Abu Dhabi, the calendar has created a better flow of races in certain regions. F1 has recognised however that as a world championship, there will always been a need for travel and that it cannot be completely regionalised.
The two races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will take place on a Saturday instead of the traditional Sunday slot, to accommodate Ramadan.
Stefano Domenicali, President and Chief Executive of Formula 1, said: “I am delighted to announce the 2024 calendar with 24 races that will deliver an exciting season for our fans around the world. 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.
“I want to thank all of the promoters and partners for their support and effort to achieve this great schedule. Our journey to a more sustainable calendar will continue in the coming years as we further streamline operations as part of our Net Zero 2030 commitment. We have plenty of racing to look forward to in 2023, including the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, and our fans can look forward to more excitement next season.”
"We want to make the global spectacle of Formula 1 more efficient in terms of environmental sustainability and more manageable for the travelling staff who dedicate so much of their time to our sport."
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, the sport’s global governing body, added: “The planned 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar that has been approved by the Motor Sport Council Members demonstrates some important steps towards our shared goals.
“We want to make the global spectacle of Formula 1 more efficient in terms of environmental sustainability and more manageable for the travelling staff who dedicate so much of their time to our sport. Stefano Domenicali and his team have done a great job to both bring in new and exciting venues in emerging markets for Formula 1, and stay true to the sport’s long and remarkable heritage.
“Each race can only happen thanks to the collaboration between the FIA, FOM [Formula One Management], the promoters, and the host ASNs [national sporting authorities] who bring together the thousands of volunteer marshals and support personnel so that we can go racing, and as we forge ahead into the future we must ensure that our priorities grow and develop with the needs of society and what is best for our sport, our fans and our environment.”
Image: Alberto-g-rovi/ CC BY 3.0 /Wikimedia Commons