F1 2024: A guide to the season - including calendar, sprint races, teams and drivers
- Published
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has won three successive world titles
The 2024 season will be Formula 1's longest campaign to date.
Last year lacked battles and drama as Max Verstappen dominated, leaving many longing for scenes like those we witnessed in 2021 when the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton scrapped it out until the last lap of the season.
But what is in store this year? We got a first look at the cars on the track during pre-season testing, which ran from 21-23 February.
Here is everything you will need to know.
The F1 2024 calendar - the longest season
Lewis Hamilton won the last Chinese Grand Prix - in 2019
This year will be the longest F1 season to date, with a record-breaking 24 races planned across 21 countries.
There should have been 24 in 2023, too, but two were cancelled.
No new locations figure in the 2024 calendar, but we do welcome back two tracks. The Chinese Grand Prix makes its long-awaited return after Covid-related cancellations and Emilia Romagna is back after the 2023 race was called off because of heavy flooding in northern Italy.
Las Vegas, which returned to the calendar last year, retains its spot as a Saturday race. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will also race on Saturday to accommodate the Muslim holy month Ramadan.
In announcing the calendar, Formula 1 said it had moved towards a "greater" regionalisation, with the intention of making the season more sustainable.
But some drivers aren't happy with the schedule.
Champion Verstappen said 24 races was "too many" while Briton Lando Norris said 24 was "a lot" and added: "If I picked the perfect number, it's probably closer to 20."
F1 sprint races in 2024 - when are they and what could change?
As in 2023, there will be six sprint races this year - in China, Miami, Austria, the US, Brazil and Qatar. China and Miami will be hosting sprint races for the first time.
Verstappen has made it clear he is not a fan of the format, but other drivers seem to enjoy them.
"I think six sprint races is good," said Charles Leclerc.
"To have one free practice and go straight to qualifying is something I enjoy."
We may yet see another change to sprint race weekends, though, with governing body the FIA looking to make them easier to follow.
"The commission gave overall support for an update to the sprint format for 2024 to further rationalise the weekend by separating sprint activities from those for the grand prix," it said in a statement.
A plan to move qualifying for the sprint to Friday and hold the shorter race on Saturday before grand prix qualifying has been effectively agreed.
The changes are set to be announced before the new season begins.
F1 teams and drivers line-up
The line-up for the first race of the season will be the same as the last race of 2023
Has anything changed with the teams and drivers? Yes and no.
For the first time in F1 history, the first race of the new season will have the same driver line-up as the last race of the previous one.
It will be Hamilton's last at Mercedes, though, as he prepares to join Ferrari at the end of the season.
While the drivers the same for 2024, two team have changed their names.
Alfa Romeo have switched back to their original name - Sauber. The team will be officially called Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.
And Red Bull's sister team Alpha Tauri had changed their name to Visa Cash App RB.
What is the F1 budget cap and what are the development times?
The cost cap, brought in for 2021, limits the amount a team can spend on their car within a year.
All 10 teams complied with the cost cap in 2022 after Red Bull had a minor overspend in 2021, which resulted in a $7m (£5.5m) fine.
The cost cap was $135m (£106m) in 2023 and remains the same for both 2024 and 2025. Previously, the budget was $140m (£110m) for 2022 and $145m (£114m) for 2021.
In the long term, the FIA has placed a ban on 2026 car development.
A statement read: "The commission agreed that no work may be carried out on the development of a car for the 2026 season before the start of 2025."
F1 driver contracts - will we see a shake-up?
Charles Leclerc (left) has signed a new deal at Ferrari but Carlos Sainz's is due to expire at the end of the season
Ready for silly season, F1 fans?
While Hamilton's future is sorted, a huge amount of the drivers go into this season with just one year left on their contracts.
That could mean a huge shake-up in the ranks. Will we see drivers moving to rival teams? Will there be any retirements? Will anyone step up from the reserve ranks?
Some 13 drivers are on contracts running until the end of the season: Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas (Sauber), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo (Visa Cash App RB), Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant (Williams).
Lance Stroll's contract length isn't publicly known, but it is thought he is on a rolling deal.
It was rumoured Perez might retire before 2024 after a run of disappointing performances but he said he would "give my very best" to the new season and it would not be his final contract.
Charles Leclerc has committed his future to Ferrari, where he will be joined by Hamilton for 2025. Verstappen, Mercedes driver George Russell, and McLaren's Norris and Oscar Piastri are contracted to their current teams beyond the end of the season.
Any other changes?
A new season brings with it changes that are intended to make the sport better for drivers and teams.
After the extreme heat at last year's Qatar Grand Prix, where several drivers became unwell, the FIA announced a plan to improve conditions in the car.
A scoop will be installed in the cockpit, which will boost driver cooling.
Meanwhile, a tyre blanket ban which was due to be implemented in 2025 - with an evaluation in 2024 - has been postponed.
How to follow the 2024 F1 season on the BBC
You will be able to follow live text updates for every race this season on the BBC Sport app and website. BBC Radio 5 Live will also bring you radio coverage across every session.
What is the F1 2024 race schedule?
Bahrain Grand Prix - 29 February-2 March
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix - 7-9 March
Australian Grand Prix - 22-24 March
Japanese Grand Prix - 5-7 April
Chinese Grand Prix - 19-21 April
Miami Grand Prix - 3-5 May
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix - 17-19 May
Monaco Grand Prix - 24-26 May
Canadian Grand Prix - 7-9 June
Spanish Grand Prix - 21-23 June
Austrian Grand Prix - 28-30 June
British Grand Prix - 5-7 July
Hungarian Grand Prix - 19-21 July
Belgian Grand Prix - 26-28 July
Dutch Grand Prix - 23-25 August
Italian Grand Prix - 30 August-1 September
Azerbaijan Grand Prix - 13-15 September
Singapore Grand Prix - 20-22 September
United States Grand Prix - 18-20 October
Mexican Grand Prix - 25-27 October
Brazilian Grand Prix - 1-3 November
Las Vegas Grand Prix - 21-23 November
Qatar Grand Prix - 30 November-1 December
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix - 6-8 December
What is the full 2024 F1 entry list?
Red Bull - Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez
Mercedes - Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
Ferrari - Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
McLaren - Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Aston Martin - Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll
Alpine - Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon
Williams - Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant
Visa Cash App RB - Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda
Sauber - Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu
Haas - Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen