F1 reveals tweaks to race start times and schedules

Formula 1 has confirmed changes to race start times for all 21 rounds of the 2018 season with European summer races and the Brazilian Grand Prix held later to attract larger TV audiences.

All races will now start at ten minutes past the hour, rather than on the hour, in order to accommodate some television broadcasters who go on air on the hour. The move is thought to provide the “missing tension and emotions that characterise the minutes before the start of each Grand Prix” and provide a greater spectacle for television viewers.

Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari SF70H leads at the start of the race.
14.05.2017.
Sebastian Vettel (GER) Ferrari SF70H leads at the start of the race. 14.05…
© PHOTO 4

Formula 1 has confirmed changes to race start times for all 21 rounds of the 2018 season with European summer races and the Brazilian Grand Prix held later to attract larger TV audiences.

All races will now start at ten minutes past the hour, rather than on the hour, in order to accommodate some television broadcasters who go on air on the hour. The move is thought to provide the “missing tension and emotions that characterise the minutes before the start of each Grand Prix” and provide a greater spectacle for television viewers.

The second switch has seen all European races and the Brazilian race start one hour later on a Sunday afternoon to attract a wider television audience. The change has impacted the entire race weekend schedule with every session moved back by one hour for the listed races.

Additional race start time changes have been made in order to avoid clashes with other major sporting events including the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The F1 2018 race schedule:

Grand Prix

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

 

FP1

FP2

FP3

Qualifying

Race

Sunset

Australia

12:00-13:30

16:00-17:30

14:00-15:00

17:00-18:00

16:10

19:24

Bahrain

14:00-15:30

18:00-19:30

15:00-16-00

18:00-19:00

18:10

17:57

China

10:00-11:30

14:00-15:30

11:00-12:00

14:00-15:00

14:10

18:22

Azerbaijan

13:00-14:30

17:00-18:30

14:00-15:00

17:00-18:00

16:10

19:33

Spain

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

21:01

Monaco*

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

21:00

Canada

10:00-11:30

14:00-15:30

11:00-12:00

14:00-15:00

14:10

20:42

France

12:00-13:30

16:00-17:30

13:00-14:00

16:00-17:00

16:10

21:22

Austria

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

20:57

Great Britain

10:00-11:30

14:00-15:30

11:00-12:00

14:00-15:00

14:10

21:24

Germany

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

20:19

Hungary

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

20:22

Belgium

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

20:35

Italy

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

19:59

Singapore

16:30-18:00

20:30-22:00

18:00-19:00

21:00-22:00

20:10

19:03

Russia

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

14:10

18:04

Japan

10:00-11:30

14:00-15:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

14:10

17:30

United States

10:00-11:30

14:00-15:30

13:00-14:00

16:00-17:00

13:10

18:53

Mexico

10:00-11:30

14:00-15:30

10:00-11:00

13:00-14:00

13:10

18:04

Brazil

11:00-12:30

15:00-16:30

12:00-13:00

15:00-16:00

15:10

19:26

Abu Dhabi

13:00-14:30

17:00-18:30

14:00-15:00

17:00-18:00

17:10

17:33

 

*Monaco FP1 and FP2 on Thursday

All local times stated

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