Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix taking place on a Saturday in F1 2024?

Many a Formula 1 fan will have been surprised to see that several Grands Prix will be run on Saturdays in 2024. Sunday is the standard, but where Liberty Media is already making an exception for Las Vegas this season, the same will be done next year for the first two weekends of the season: Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. But why?

The reason is Ramadan. Indeed, the annual fasting period for Muslims in 2024 starts on Sunday, March 10, as soon as the sun sets. It has therefore been chosen by the organisers of motorsport's royal class to ensure that Saudi Arabia's Grand Prix weekend (next season's second GP) ends as early as Saturday. Saudi Arabia is, after all, an Islamic country.

Consequences for Bahrain

The fact that the weekend at the Jeddah Corniche ends on Saturday means that the first two free practice sessions (assuming no sprint race is organised) will already take place on Thursday. This also has a direct impact on the opening weekend in Bahrain, which is scheduled a week earlier than Saudi Arabia.

Teams always arrive at the circuit on Wednesday at the earliest, on a normal race weekend. But because the free practice sessions in Jeddah are already on Thursday, all teams will need/want to be there on Tuesday. That is logistically unfeasible if there is still racing in Bahrain on Sunday. So the race there will also be on Saturday, allowing more time to move the whole circus to Saudi Arabia.

What about Las Vegas?

And then we also have the Las Vegas Grand Prix. That takes place this year on Saturday night local time, which in Europe will therefore be sometime on Sunday morning. One obviously wants to drive after dark in the city known for its extravagant hotels and casinos. Organising a GP on Sunday night is not possible there, as in Europe, it will be Monday by then.