F1 calendar 2024: Chinese Grand Prix returns as part of major schedule change

China is set to return to the Formula 1 calendar for the first time since the pandemic in a major revision of the schedule for 2024.

The season starts with races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia to be held on Saturdays, because of the impact of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

In the quest for greater sustainability, the Japanese race moves to 7 April from its usual autumn date.

And Azerbaijan will be twinned with Singapore in September.

The calendar features what would be a record 24 races – exactly the same number as were due to be held this year before the cancellation of the Chinese and Emilia-Romagna Grands Prix.

Earlier this year, Australian Grand Prix organisers announced that Saudi Arabia would hold the opening race of the 2024 season.

But F1 has found a way to fit both Bahrain and Jeddah in before Melbourne by making the Middle Eastern events Saturday night races. Ramadan starts on the evening of 10 March, the day after the Saudi event.

China was due to return this year but had to be cancelled because of the uncertainty over the Covid situation in the country at the start of the year, when there were riots as a result of continued social restrictions. These have now been lifted.

The move towards greater regionalisation – which is an attempt to reduce carbon emissions from flights as F1 strives to become net-zero carbon by 2030 – has been partly stymied by Canadian organisers resisting F1’s attempts to twin the Montreal race with Miami in May.

Instead, the Canadian Grand Prix retains its traditional June date, forcing teams to fly across the Atlantic twice in just over a month.

F1 chairman Stefano Domenicali said: “Our journey to a more sustainable calendar will continue in the coming years as we further streamline operations as part of our Net Zero 2030 commitment.”

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: “We want to make the global spectacle of Formula 1 more efficient in terms of environmental sustainability and more manageable for the travelling staff who dedicate so much of their time to our sport.”

Pre-season testing is due to be held in Bahrain on 21-23 February but those dates are still subject to approval from the FIA world motorsport council.