- The 2023 Formula 1 season will be the longest ever with 24 races.
- Season starts on 5 March in Bahrain and ends on 26 November in Abu Dhabi.
- New event in Las Vegas, return of Qatar and China make it a record-breaking year.
24 race calendar, a record-breaking will be held during the 2023 Formula 1 season, according to the organization that oversees the sport.
Even with the loss of the French Grand Prix, the new event in Las Vegas and the return of Qatar and China make the upcoming season the longest ever.
Season starts on 5 March in Bahrain and ends on 26 November in Abu Dhabi.
The last event will take place in Las Vegas on November 18 while China will return on April 16 following a three-year break due to the Covid epidemic.
Monaco and Belgium kept their spots after signing new contracts; Monaco’s runs until 2025; Belgium’s runs only for one year.
On July 9, the British Grand Prix will take place.
China’s management of Covid, in which lockdowns continue to be a tactic, has led to some persistent scepticism.
Before the race takes place the following year, F1 will want assurances from the Chinese government over how it intends to handle any positive cases.
The FIA’s international motorsport council validated the calendar on Tuesday in accordance with protocol, even though F1 creates it.
There were no specifics on the “sprint” races, which would be decided by a smaller race on Saturday before the main Grand Prix.
F1 and the teams agreed to increase this from three to six in 2023, but Mohammed ben Sulayem, the head of the FIA, has so far blocked the proposal.
The FIA stated in April that it wants to investigate the effects of adding more sprints on its personnel and resources.
Numerous senior individuals familiar with the situation claim that Ben Sulayem has requested more money from F1 in exchange for his consent.
There had been “no hold-up” on the sprint events, according to an FIA spokeswoman, although it was “just not what’s being announced today”.
The spokeswoman replied that they “were not aware there was a specified deadline” when questioned about why it had taken five months to still not come to an agreement.
The increasing number of races, according to F1 president Stefano Domenicali, is a result of “Formula 1’s unparalleled desire to host events, and it is crucial we get the balance right for the entire sport.”
“We are very pleased with the strong momentum Formula 1 continues to experience and it is great news that we will be able to bring our passionate fans a mix of exciting new locations such as Las Vegas to the Championship with much loved venues across Europe, Asia and the Americas.”
The record schedule, according to Ben Sulayem, is “additional proof of the expansion and appeal of the sport on a global scale.”
In spite of the growth, South Africa won’t have a race in 2023.
Domenicali travelled to South Africa in June to meet with Kyalami circuit representatives, but no agreement could be reached for the sport to return to Africa.
The last Grand Prix was staged in Kyalami in 1993, and no F1 event has taken place on the continent since. Kyalami was a regular on the schedule throughout the 1970s and early 1980s.
F1 is still attempting to get Kyalami back on the schedule for 2024, though.