The Saudi Arabian GP is back for a fourth consecutive running in 2024. However, at this time, there is one major change – the race will happen on a Saturday. This change is due to the holy month of Ramadan starting on March 10, Sunday. Thus, F1 had to cater to the race organizers’ demand of shifting the race to Saturday, March 9, which also pre-poned last weekend’s race in Bahrain by a day. Here is the schedule of the Saudi Arabian GP this weekend and how fans can watch it.
The 2024 Saudi Arabian GP schedule
| Session | Timing | |
| Thursday, Mar 7 | Practice 1 | 8:30 – 9:30 EST |
| Practice 2 | 12:00 – 13:00 EST | |
| Friday, Mar 8 | Practice 3 | 8:30 – 9:30 EST |
| Qualifying | 12:00 – 13:00 EST | |
| Saturday, Mar 9 | Main Race | 12:00 EST |
The weekend will follow the regular format of three free practice sessions followed by Qualifying and the Race. On Thursday, the 7th, FP1 will happen during the evening hours in Jeddah.
Then, FP2 takes place at 8 PM local time (12 PM EST) which will represent the ideal nighttime conditions for the qualifying and the race. The qualifying and the race too will take place at 8 PM local time on Friday and Saturday.
For fans to catch up with the live action from Saudi Arabia, they can tune in to ESPN in the USA. Fans from the UK can catch up with the weekend’s action on Sky Sports UK. Meanwhile, F1 TV is available in several countries worldwide which gives a premium experience with driver onboards, telemetry, and live timing charts.
What upgrades are F1 teams bringing in Jeddah?
As the new season settles in for the second race of the season, teams are going to be aggressive to bring upgrade packages to try and fine-tune their cars further. On top of this, as Jeddah is a power-sensitive and top speed-relevant track, there will be some circuit-specific elements every team will put on its cars.
Red Bull have brought three circuit-specific parts for the Jeddah weekend. Meanwhile, Ferrari and McLaren have also brought two circuit-specific parts.
The Italian outfit has reportedly brought its 2023 spec rear wing to help its straight-line speed. McLaren, on the other hand, inherently could be quite strong here, given their upgraded car since the second half of last year has been quick down the straights.
Aston Martin have one performance-related upgrade and one circuit-specific part for the Saudi GP weekend. Meanwhile, Mercedes only has one performance-based upgrade. Williams is the other team to bring two circuit-specific upgrades. Furthermore, even RB have brought three circuit-specific upgrades and one performance-related upgrade.
The shocking aspect is that Alpine, who struggled awfully in Bahrain, have not brought any upgrades to Jeddah. Team boss Bruno Famin said that they are not sure how effective their upgrades can be in improving the pace of their car. Similarly, Sauber and Haas have also not brought any upgrades this weekend but are better placed than Alpine.
Storylines that have unfolded since Bahrain to Saudi Arabia
After a sedate opening affair in Bahrain, F1 has a few things to talk about ahead of the Saudi Arabian GP this weekend. Multiple controversies have unfolded off-track, with the most pertinent being Red Bull’s investigation saga against Christian Horner. Besides that, there are a few things around drivers and teams relevant to the sporting aspects of F1.
Alpine’s technical directors resign, restructured team in place
It is safe to say that Alpine are the worst-placed team after the opening race in Bahrain. Their technical director, Matt Harman, and head of aerodynamics, Dirk de Beer, have resigned to make matters worse for them. The Enstone team have restructured their technical team now with a three-pronged structure like McLaren.
Joe Burnell will take over as technical director for Engineering, while David Wheather will take charge as the technical director for Aerodynamics. Meanwhile, Ciaron Pilbeam will oversee the role of technical director (Performance).
Christian Horner’s Red Bull investigation saga gets uglier
Red Bull officially “dismissed” the grievance against team boss Christian Horner on the eve of the Bahrain GP. However, since then, a leak of alleged evidence with chat screenshots and images made matters worse for the F1 community. Following the Bahrain race, things have gotten uglier as there is a clear situation of internal tussle at Red Bull Racing.
Jos Verstappen’s comments against Horner’s retention of his position and the resultant rumors of his son, Max Verstappen, looking to switch to Mercedes amid this chaos have been the top story leading into Jeddah. For now, Max Verstappen, Horner, Helmut Marko, and everyone at Red Bull have ensured to maintain their silence over these rumors.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem facing the heat in whistleblower revelations
Mohammed Ben Sulayem has come under the radar again following a couple of whistleblower revelations on two sporting matters. BBC reported that Ben Sulayem was allegedly involved in the overturning of Fernando Alonso’s penalty from the 2023 Saudi Arabian GP, according to a whistleblower.
The very next day, BBC also reported that the FIA boss also allegedly asked the governing body’s officials to not give the green light to the Las Vegas GP track. As of yet, the FIA ethics committee has acknowledged that they have received these reports, but the further process is due to happen.
Fernando Alonso wanting to go to Red Bull amid Verstappen rumors
As rumors have surrounded Max Verstappen of a possible 2025 move to Mercedes, people also are wondering who may replace the Dutchman if this seemingly impossible switch happens. Fernando Alonso has now demonstrated an interest in joining Red Bull.
Toto Wolff and Jos Verstappen’s meeting fuels Max Verstappen to Mercedes rumors
During the Bahrain GP, Jos Verstappen was seen chatting with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. This meeting is fuelling the rumors of Max Verstappen possibly moving to Mercedes in 2025. As the 2026 engine regulations beckon, Max may wish to foolproof his success chances for the new power unit era amid the uncertainty at Red Bull.
