In the last three races, we’ve seen three different winners, and the competition in both championships is heating up significantly. This has undoubtedly heightened the excitement surrounding every race weekend. Now, we interrupt the European season for our customary trip to Montreal, where predicting a winner continues to be a challenging task.
How many races are in the F1 season 2024?
Formula 1 unveiled the official calendar for the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, which received approval from the World Motor Sport Council late last year. The schedule consists of 24 races and kicked off in Bahrain on March 2 and will conclude in Abu Dhabi on December 8.
In a bid to enhance sustainability and reduce logistical challenges, Formula 1 is moving towards greater regionalization of the race calendar. Notable changes included the scheduling Japan in April, Azerbaijan in September, and pairing Qatar with Abu Dhabi consecutively as a season closer.
These adjustments aim to create a more geographically logical flow of events while acknowledging that, as a global championship subject to climatic and contractual constraints, some travel across regions will remain unavoidable.
When is the next F1 Grand Prix?
The upcoming Formula 1 event is the Spanish Grand Prix, takes place on Sunday, June 23 and for those planning to watch live, the primary race kicks off at 15h00 local time in Barcelona. For our audience in the UK, that’s 14h00, with Sky’s coverage beginning at 13h00.
If you want to see for yourself what’s the latest in Formula 1 in real time, you need to follow sports streams and the only way to keep your finger on the pulse for many of us is to unblock sports streams with a VPN. Is it illegal to use a VPN to watch sports? It is absolutely legal, as there are no legal restrictions on using a VPN. It is only important to choose a quality VPN service, for example, VeePN, even a free trial version will do.
Red Bull back in the game?
While “struggles” might seem relative when discussing a team currently leading both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ championship standings, Red Bull has indeed faced a challenging period recently. Lando Norris’ victory in Miami, though aided by a Safety Car, was achieved with McLaren having the fastest car that day. Additionally, Norris was arguably the fastest over a race distance in Imola, but Max Verstappen’s outstanding performance secured him pole position and the crucial track position necessary to clinch the win.
Monaco, however, revealed a genuine weakness for Red Bull as their car struggled significantly with kerb riding and the uneven surface. This resulted in Verstappen finishing sixth and Sergio Perez being eliminated in Q1.
Ferrari hoping Canada calamity was a one-off
The 2024 Ferrari Formula 1 car, which had been the dominant force in Monaco, was surprisingly absent from the lead fight in Canada. The team struggled with tire warm-up, a perennial challenge exacerbated by the new asphalt. Anticipating rain that never materialized during Q2, Ferrari opted to run its drivers on fresh tires while competitors used worn rubber, resulting in a disadvantage as track conditions evolved—much to Charles Leclerc’s frustration.
Starting mid-pack exposed Ferrari’s drivers to various issues. Leclerc’s race was immediately compromised by an engine problem, costing him approximately 80 horsepower and up to 0.5 seconds per lap. Although he adjusted his engine settings in the pits, he was eventually retired to conserve mileage after a risky switch to slicks during a safety car period backfired. Meanwhile, in the other SF-24, Carlos Sainz had a rough day, culminating in a spin at Turn 6 that took out Alex Albon.
Canada delivered a return to thrilling racing
The Montreal race was bound to deliver a thrilling performance, especially following two disappointing previous events, thanks to its layout that favours overtaking. You can revisit these important moments of the race if you download VPN iOS and unblock the broadcast replay. The addition of unpredictable weather last weekend only served to make this race the standout event of the season so far.
A significant factor in the excitement was Red Bull’s decline in dominance, particularly noticeable at this track where their (relative) kerb-riding limitations were once again apparent.
While Verstappen secured yet another victory, marking his 60th career Grand Prix win, the challenges he faced underscored a shift in competition. He struggled to overtake Russell, was overtaken himself, and was left behind by Norris until the safety car incident turned the race in his favour—demonstrating just how competitive the field has become.
Conclusion
Formula 1 returned with a bang in Montreal, delivering an electrifying race after quieter events at Imola and Monaco. Unpredictable weather conditions added excitement, while Mercedes turned up the heat, creating a fierce four-way battle at the front.
