The F1 calendar may change in 2024

Significant changes to the championship calendar are expected as early as 2024, and this process may continue in subsequent years.

First of all, they affect the initial phase of the season, which is linked to the course towards the “regionalization” of the stages, ie their association on a territorial basis in order to reduce logistics costs and consequently a negative impact on the environment.

The plan is designed for the long term, as current contracts with some circuits are tied to certain dates, but in 2024 the usual order of stages should be reviewed.

According to The Race, there are currently discussions in Formula 1 over the choice of dates for the Grand Prix of Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, as the Muslim world’s holy month of Ramadan begins on March 10 next year.

Several options are being considered. In theory, starting the season a little earlier gives you time to complete both winter testing and a race in Bahrain, followed by a stage in Jeddah. But it will be possible to conduct tests only in Sakhir, after which the championship will begin with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

In any case, Formula 1 will go to Australia after the Middle East part of the season, but after the race in Melbourne in April, the Japanese Grand Prix or the Singapore Grand Prix will most likely be held. If the stage in China returns to the championship, it will also have to take place around the same period. Most likely it will be back-to-back with Suzuka.

Negotiations are underway with the promoters of new stages, mainly with representatives from South Africa, but Rwanda and Morocco are also showing a desire to host the African Formula 1 race. However, the chances at the circuit in Kyalami are much greater, although there is not yet complete clarity about the financial side of the project.

If the chance of a return to the South African Grand Prix calendar as early as 2024 still lingers, then the races in Madrid and South Korea are matters of a more distant future. The authorities of the Spanish capital have developed major activities in this direction, but the Spanish Grand Prix will still be held in Barcelona until 2026.

The project of holding a city race in Seoul has worked out much worse, logistical problems related to the need to block the transport routes from the South Korean capital remain unsolved. At the same time, negotiations are underway to move the stage to another city in the country, which is considered one of the most promising and important markets in Formula 1. In particular, we are talking about Busan, the second largest city in South Korea.

Discussions about the stages in Vietnam and Colombia can hardly be called serious, although certain business circles in these countries also seem to be interested in holding races.

The main question is how many stages the championship calendar can realistically accommodate. In the Treaty of Concord this number is limited to 24 races. There are already 23 this season and it is unlikely that the number of Grand Prix will exceed the established maximum in the coming years. All that remains is a scenario where some races are excluded from the calendar, or you have to switch to rotating the stages.

Such a fate may befall the Grand Prix of Belgium and the Netherlands, particularly in the future. Alternatively, the Spanish and Madrid Grands Prix could be held if negotiations end on the podium in the Spanish capital with the signing of a contract and the promoters of the Barcelona race finance their project long-term.

The arrival of the factory Audi team to the World Championship in 2026 could pave the way for a revival of the German Grand Prix, although this is likely directly linked to the German company’s willingness to shoulder some of the financial burden on its own take, as Mercedes did in 2019.