Everything you need to know about the 2024 Formula 1 season as Max Verstappen and Red Bull look to defend their titles; watch every session live on Sky Sports F1 or with a NOW Sports Membership
Wednesday 8 May 2024 09:22, UK
Formula 1 will scale new heights in 2024 with a record schedule length of 24 races for the first time. All race weekends will be live on Sky Sports F1.
The season again started in the Middle East with back-to-back races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, with both races taking place on a Saturday due to Ramadan.
China returned for the first time since 2019, as the season's fifth round, while the British GP at Silverstone is on July 7. The season will finish in December with the Abu Dhabi GP on December 8.
There will again be six Sprint weekends, at the Chinese, Miami, Austrian, United States, Sao Paulo and Qatar Grands Prix.
The Sprint format for 2024 has changed in an attempt to create a better spectacle.
Following free practice on a Friday, Sprint qualifying (also known as the Sprint Shootout), rather than qualifying for Sunday's full-length race, will take place as the day's second session.
The Sprint will follow first thing on Saturday, before traditional qualifying comes later in the day, ahead of the race on Sunday.
If the make-up of the 2024 field looks familiar, then that's because it is. The 20-driver grid that lined up in Bahrain on was exactly the same as the one that finished the 2023 campaign in Abu Dhabi.
While such winter stability is highly unusual, don't expect that to last long-term given as over half the field are out of contract at the end of 2024.
Only Fernando Alonso, Nico Hulkenberg, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, Lando Norris and Max Verstappen officially have deals in place beyond 2024 so far.
Sky Sports F1 will have live coverage of every F1 session in 2024, plus Formula 2 and Formula 3 action.
All seven rounds of F1 Academy will also be live on Sky Sports with the all-women's series featuring on the F1 support series bill in Saudi Arabia, Miami, Spain, the Netherlands, Singapore, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Sky Sports F1 viewers can experience live races from inside the car of their favourite F1 driver. You can watch onboard live stream of any of the 20 drivers - complete with team radio messages - for every race, Sprint, qualifying and practice session this season.
Sky customers with a Sky Sports F1 subscription just need to download the Sky Sports App and log in to ride with Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc or any driver of their choice.
