Formula One fans have been left frustrated by a four-week gap between the Singapore Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix – here’s the reason behind it.
Another edge-of-the-seat F1 season has been halted again, and it has been painful again to have to wait for one month to have the next race. Formula One fans have accepted the summer break whereby there are limited races during most of August.
However its creators were caught unawere with the current gap, no race for four long weeks from the last race in Singapore to the US Grand Prix in Austin on October 20. Fans have, of course, been left naturally wondering why just before the summer break.
The reason is partly attributed to sport’s recent push to have more races from the same geographical location to be conducted at the same time in a bid to cut on the emission of carbon. That has caused such races to be swapped in terms of the date that they take on their new slot on the calendar.
Azerbaijan which is usually held in May was hold in September and Japan which normally held in the autumn was held in April. Conversely, Qatar will be the stop before the last round of the season as it will be a double header with the following round in Abu Dhabi.
The late decision to move the Japanese Grand Prix came too late for other races to the moved, hence the current four-week break. With factors like each country’s climate and contractual agreements having to be taken into consideration, there was little room for manoeuvre.
Bringing the US Grand Prix forward was deemed unviable as it is part of a triple-header with Mexico and Brazil. And keeping Qatar in its 2023 spot of early October was not entertained due to oppressive heat in the country at that time of year, which some drivers branded the worst conditions they had ever raced in.
While in the past, teams are required to observe a rest period, not in the same manner as during the summer shutdown where a 14-day break has to be undertaken, teams are not shut during the course of the break. The situation will not be repeated in 2025 with no more than 14 days between races after the summer break.
For the first time since 2011, Australia replaces Bahrain as the season-opening GP with Albert Park in Melbourne scheduled for March 16, followed one week later by the Chinese GP. Bahrain will be followed by three successive Grands Prix in Japan, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia respectively.
The next season will resume in Austin, where there will be a sprint race, and Max Verstappen will try to increase his barely noticeable advantage over Lando Norris, who won in Singapore. Simons has been leading the championship for all the six remaining race weekends have been all reduced to 52 points.