Why is F1 set to have an unprecedented three Saturday races in 2024?

F1 recently announced the entire race calendar for the 2024 season. Though the season is quite long since we have only completed half of the 2023 season, the preparation has already begun for the next year, especially in terms of race venues, track contracts, etc.

The 2024 F1 season will be quite unique, as the sport is bringing some massive changes to the race calendar. It will feature a whopping 24 races, which is the most the sport has ever held. The only month in which they will not be racing is January. Arguably the most striking point about the 2024 race calendar is that there will be three races that will be held on Saturday rather than Sunday.

The F1 Grand Prix has always been held on Sundays. However, in 2024, the Las Vegas GP, Bahrain GP, and Saudi Arabian GP will have races on Saturdays instead of Sundays.

The reason for the Las Vegas GP being held on a Saturday is to adjust the timings for other parts of the world. Since Vegas is on one end of the world, it is held on a Saturday night so that fans from other parts of the world, specifically Europe, can watch the race comfortably. Of course, this scheduling will apply to the 2023 F1 Las Vegas GP as well.

Las Vegas GP event CEO Reneé Wilm spoke at the AXS Sports Facilities & Franchises and Ticketing Symposium last year about the race being on a Saturday. He said:

“That was actually a compromise to make sure we are broadcasting at a time when our European fans can get up with a cup of coffee and watch the race [at] six [or] seven in the morning, very similar to how we [in the US] watch the European races. So that was actually a very important component of planning out our sequencing for the race weekend.”

Apart from that, the Bahrain GP and Saudi Arabian GP will also have races on a Saturday in the 2024 season. This is to respect the beginning of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which starts on March 10.

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Former F1 driver on the tight battle between Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin

Former F1 driver-turned-presenter Karun Chandhok recently talked about how tight the battle is between Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin for the second spot in the constructors' championship. He explained how different tracks suit different teams; hence, we are witnessing one performing better on a certain track, then trailing behind in the next race weekend.

Speaking on Sky Sports F1 podcast, he said:

"I just think that the midfield pack between Ferrari, Mercedes, and Aston is so tight that there are certain weekends at certain circuits and conditions that suit one or the other, but we'll have to see as the updates come through."

Mercedes is currently second with 178 points, Aston Martin is third with 175 points, and Ferrari is fourth with 154 points.