Will the 2024 season be a copy and paste of 2023? For the 75th F1 World Championship, some already imagine seeing Max Verstappen and Red Bull outrageously dominating the grid, like last year. The fault in particular is a lack of big changes. But there will still be some new features.
Starting with the composition of the grid. If the 20 drivers entered remain the same, these are two manufacturers who are getting a makeover to shake up the fans a little. Under the leadership of Frenchman Laurent Mekies (the only newcomer for the moment in the top ranks of the paddock), Alpha Tauri becomes Visa Cash App Racing Bulls and regains its blue and red colors of yesteryear, while Alfa Romeo transforms into Sauber with a neon green that is unusual to say the least. The name “Stake Sauber” or “Kick Sauber” (named after the team’s two biggest sponsors) could also be present on certain Grand Prix.
New format for the “sprint”
Calendar-wise, no new circuit on the program but the return of the Chinese Grand Prix after four years of absence, notably because of Covid-19. In total, the drivers will therefore have 24 Grand Prix to complete, a record in the history of Formula 1. Note that three races will take place on Saturday, including the first two of the season in Bahrain (March 2) then in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia (March 9) before Las Vegas later in the year (November 23).
The “sprint” races will still be featured six times this season (China, Miami, Austria, Austin, Brazil and Qatar) but under a new format which has not yet been made official. A priori, no more 100% sprint on Saturday as in previous seasons. The qualifying session for this mini-race should take place on Friday after free practice, before a start on Saturday, before the qualifying session for the real Grand Prix.
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Brand new colors and a neon green that will stand out on the grid!
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— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) February 5, 2024
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) also looked into some technical points. The body has decided to allocate four engines per driver per season in 2024 and 2025, instead of three initially. The DRS (movable rear wing which facilitates overtaking), for its part, can be activated from the second lap of the races and no longer from the third like last season, which should keep the peloton a little tighter at the start of the GP . These two measures, in addition to the new “sprint” format, must still be ratified by the next FIA World Motor Sport Council on February 28.
Concerning the cars, no changes in the F1 regulations but a slight modification made to the chassis. In order to better cool the single-seaters, the FIA authorized engineers to create a cooling scoop for the driver’s cabin, to better protect it from the extreme heat, notably felt in Qatar last year.
Finally, two final changes for disputed actions and penalties. The time limit for requesting a review of an FIA decision has been increased from 14 days to 96 hours (or four days), and the maximum amount of a penalty for drivers and teams has been increased from 250,000 to 1 million of dollars.
