Why is F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on a Saturday?
The second race of the 2024 Formula 1 season is in Jeddah but will take place a day earlier than usual on Saturday
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Your support makes all the difference.Formula 1 returned last weekend with the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix after a drama-filled off-season which saw Lewis Hamilton announce his departure from Mercedes and the scandal surrounding Red Bull team principal Christian Horner continue into overdrive.
As the Horner controversy rumbles on, F1 switched attention back to the track as Max Verstappen cruises to a first grand prix victory of the season in Bahrain.
Pre-season testing and the season-opener in Bahrain proved that Red Bull will once again be the team to beat with Verstappen targeting a fourth-straight drivers’ championship. Their closest rivals seem to be Ferrari, who Hamilton is joining for 2025, after Carlos Sainz sealed third place behind Red Bull’s Sergio Perez.
Mercedes and McLaren were the next best of the rest, sealing positions fifth to eighth, while Aston Martin secured ninth and tenth for three championship points in a race where all 20 drivers finished. Will it happen twice in a row, though, ahead of this weekend in Jeddah?
Here is everything you need to know:
Why is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on a Saturday?
The Islamic holy month of Ramadan starts on Sunday 10 March, when the second race of the season in Saudi Arabia would have usually taken place.
To avoid a clash, the race in Jeddah has been brought forward by one day, to Saturday 9 March.
As FIA rules dictate, there must be at least seven days between races, which is why the Bahrain GP had a Saturday slot too.
The first two races being held on a Saturday means there will be three out of the record-breaking 24 races held a day earlier than usual in 2024, with Las Vegas set for a Saturday night lights out too.
Saturday’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will start at 5pm (GMT).
How can I watch it online and on TV?
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be broadcast live on Sky Sports in the United Kingdom - and ESPN in the United States.
Highlights of qualifying in the UK will be aired on free-to-air Channel 4 at 8:30pm (GMT) on Friday; the race highlights are at 9:30pm (GMT) on Saturday.
What is the 2024 F1 calendar?
ROUND 2 - SAUDI ARABIA
Jeddah Corniche Circuit - 7-9 March
ROUND 3 - AUSTRALIA
Albert Park, Melbourne - 22-24 March
ROUND 4 - JAPAN
Suzuka International Racing Course - 5-7 April
ROUND 5 - CHINA (sprint race)
Shanghai International Circuit - 19-21 April
ROUND 6 - MIAMI (sprint race)
Miami International Autodrome, Hard Rock Stadium - 3-5 May
ROUND 7 - EMILIA ROMAGNA
Imola Circuit - 17-19 May
ROUND 8 - MONACO
Circuit de Monaco - 24-26 May
ROUND 9 - CANADA
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal - 7-9 June
ROUND 10 - SPAIN
Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya - 21-23 June
ROUND 11 - AUSTRIA (sprint race)
Red Bull Ring, Spielberg - 28-30 June
ROUND 12 - GREAT BRITAIN
Silverstone Circuit - 5-7 July
ROUND 13 - HUNGARY
Hungaroring, Budapest - 19-21 July
ROUND 14 - BELGIUM
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - 26-28 July
ROUND 15 - NETHERLANDS
Circuit Zandvoort - 23-25 August
ROUND 16 - ITALY
Monza Circuit - 30 August - 1 September
ROUND 17 - AZERBAIJAN
Baku City Circuit - 13-15 September
ROUND 18 - SINGAPORE
Marina Bay Street Circuit - 20-22 September
ROUND 19 - UNITED STATES (sprint race)
Circuit of the Americas, Austin - 18-20 October
ROUND 20 - MEXICO
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City - 25-27 October
ROUND 21 - BRAZIL (sprint race)
Interlagos Circuit, Sao Paulo - 1-3 November
ROUND 22 - LAS VEGAS
Las Vegas Street Circuit - 21-23 November
ROUND 23 - QATAR (sprint race)
Lusail International Circuit, Lusail - 29 November - 1 December
ROUND 24 - ABU DHABI
Yas Marina Circuit - 6-8 December
Driver Standings
1. Max Verstappen - 26 points
2. Sergio Perez - 18 points
3. Carlos Sainz - 15 points
4. Charles Leclerc - 12 points
5. George Russell - 10 points
6. Lando Norris - 8 points
7. Lewis Hamilton - 6 points
8. Oscar Piastri - 4 points
9. Fernando Alonso - 2 points
10. Lance Stroll - 1 point
11. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points
12. Kevin Magnussen - 0 points
13. Daniel Ricciardo - 0 points
14. Yuki Tsunoda - 0 points
15. Alex Albon - 0 points
16. Nico Hulkenberg - 0 points
17. Esteban Ocon - 0 points
18. Pierre Gasly - 0 points
19. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points
20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points
Constructor Standings
1. Red Bull - 44 points
2. Ferrari - 27 points
3. Mercedes - 16 points
4. McLaren - 12 points
5. Aston Martin - 3 points
6. Kick Sauber - 0 points
7. Haas - 0 points
8. RB - 0 points
9. Williams - 0 points
10. Alpine - 0 points
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