The F1 thread

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

Provisional Calendar for 2024 has been released. China back on the menu, and bumper 24 races in total planned....

Full 2024 F1 calendar

29 February - 2 March - Bahrain

7-9 March - Saudi Arabia

22-24 March - Australia

5-7 April - Japan

19-21 April - China

3-5 May - Miami

17-19 May - Emilia-Romagna

24-26 May - Monaco

7-9 June - Canada

21-23 June - Spain

28-30 June - Austria

5-7 July - United Kingdom

19-21 July - Hungary

26-28 July - Belgium

23-25 August - Netherlands

30 August - 1 September - Italy

13-15 September - Azerbaijan

20-22 September - Singapore

18-20 October - USA (Austin)

25-27 October - Mexico City

1-3 November - Brazil

21-23 November - Las Vegas

29 November - 1 December - Qatar

6-8 December - Abu Dhabi

stickyfiddle

Christ. Am I the only one who actually doesn't want almost half of my weekends taken up with a single sport that spans multiple days for each event?  

thumpingrug

stickyfiddle said:

Christ. Am I the only one who actually doesn't want almost half of my weekends taken up with a single sport that spans multiple days for each event?  

Yes, you are.  I love it, they should have 30+ races, make them work for all that money.

Cols

Something feels not quite right about having Japan at the beginning of the season.

menamestom

Is anybody going to any?  I fancy Belgium, but we have a few family holidays so may have to wait until 2025.

Currently packing for Silverstone, looks like the weather may be all over the place.  Not want you want camping but might make the sessions more interesting. 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

I've always wanted to go to a Grand Prix abroad but never had the means. My partner and I have been discussing possible 'bucket list' holiday destinations recently and Canada is high on the list. Might see if I can twist her arm to agree to go to Montreal in early June and pop in to the GP. It'll probably break my financially, but hey ho....

Boromedic

Spa would be doable and a decent race usually, as long as it's not 3 laps....

stickyfiddle

I've been to Abu Dhabi a few times, and was in Singapore for the race in 2018 but didn't have a ticket to any of it (actually didn't realise we were going to coincide until after we booked the trip lolz)

My Dad's been to a fair few in Europe and reckons Spa is among the best. Abu Dhabi is fine but usually a dull race and last time was full of noisy/drunk/irritating Max fans and SO MUCH SHITTY EDM MUSIC it was actually quite unpleasant. That said the Foo Fighters are playing this year so I'm going to have to get a ticket somehow.

I do fancy Monza one day. I might even wear red for that one

menamestom

menamestom said:

Is anybody going to any?  I fancy Belgium, but we have a few family holidays so may have to wait until 2025.

Currently packing for Silverstone, looks like the weather may be all over the place.  Not want you want camping but might make the sessions more interesting. 

Yes it's not a cheap do!  This is the first time I've been since 1989 when I was about 12, so I'm not a regular by any means.

Got this one for my lads Christmas present, but if we go again probably cheaper and better viewing if we go abroad.

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

Christ. Am I the only one who actually doesn't want almost half of my weekends taken up with a single sport that spans multiple days for each event?  

Agreed.

Every time they increase the number of events, the additions are often crap tracks with limited entertainment value. I already find myself planning weekends around quali and the race and I just do not want to do that for over 50% of the year.

When anything becomes too abundant it loses value.

stickyfiddle

fretmeister said:

stickyfiddle said:

Christ. Am I the only one who actually doesn't want almost half of my weekends taken up with a single sport that spans multiple days for each event?  

Agreed.

Every time they increase the number of events, the additions are often crap tracks with limited entertainment value. I already find myself planning weekends around quali and the race and I just do not want to do that for over 50% of the year.

When anything becomes too abundant it loses value.

Exactly. And then I I get F1 FOMO because I want to have a life outside sitting on the couch watching an annoying sport..! 

stickyfiddle

On the plus side Williams have stolen Mclaren's special livery march. 



And Aston have also launched a special livery which is... basically just the normal one?! 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

I work every other weekend so end up missing a good chunk of the races and having to watch them on catch up. I also often gig on a Sunday afternoon on my weekends off work so even end up missing some of those ones. 20+ races a year is fine if they could just arrange races every other weekend throughout the year. And then check the Ruby and The Mystery Cats gig calendar to make sure there's no clashes, then that would be splendid! 

Dontgiveupyourdayjob

stickyfiddle said:

On the plus side Williams have stolen Mclaren's special livery march. 



And Aston have also launched a special livery which is... basically just the normal one?! 

Love that Williams one!

Cols

fretmeister said:

stickyfiddle said:

Christ. Am I the only one who actually doesn't want almost half of my weekends taken up with a single sport that spans multiple days for each event?  

Agreed.

Every time they increase the number of events, the additions are often crap tracks with limited entertainment value. I already find myself planning weekends around quali and the race and I just do not want to do that for over 50% of the year.

When anything becomes too abundant it loses value.

16-18 races was about right.  With the current overstuffed schedule you can easily lose track of where you are in the season (apparently we’re halfway).

I can’t help but feel that the value of a Grand Prix win has become somewhat diminished by this.  The likes of Senna, Prost and Mansell competed in an era when you had 16 races and fragile cars.  Fewer chances to win a race, and the uncertainty of whether the car would pack up while they were leading.  Fangio and Moss raced in a time where the season was 8 races, and one of those was the Indy 500 which no-one bothered attending anyway.

The drivers today have bombproof reliability and, by next year, 24 shots at a race win.  It’s not easier to win, but IMO it means less.

stickyfiddle

AND sprint races…

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

AND sprint races…

They are absolute bollocks.

stickyfiddle

Christ on a bike - apparently Brad Pitt may be taking part in an extra formation lap this weekend for filming… 

fretmeister

stickyfiddle said:

Christ on a bike - apparently Brad Pitt may be taking part in an extra formation lap this weekend for filming… 

Americans.

They just don't get that F1 is different to Indycar for a reason.

sinbaadi

fretmeister said:

stickyfiddle said:

AND sprint races…

They are absolute bollocks.

I'm not sure I agree with this, but I suppose it's all about what you want from your races.  I agree the calendar is excessive, though, but hey ho, highlights more often than not for me these days.