Lewis Hamilton believes Formula 1 should consider introducing more night races, with the Ferrari driver suggesting that circuits such as Madrid could benefit from the opportunity to host Grands Prix under floodlights. The seven-time world champion has also recalled how a conversation with Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, anticipated the country’s eventual transition from daytime racing to an evening event.
Speaking during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend, Hamilton explained his enthusiasm for racing after dark and suggested that greater flexibility over start times could become an interesting development for the championship. His proposal comes as night races already account for a significant proportion of Formula 1’s original 2026 schedule, although changes affecting events in the Middle East have altered the calendar.
Lewis Hamilton wants more F1 night races after Bahrain experience
Hamilton’s interest in night racing stretches back to the introduction of the Singapore Grand Prix in 2008, when Formula 1 staged its first world championship race under artificial lighting. At the time, the British driver was competing for McLaren and had experienced the new event through simulator preparations before the championship arrived at Marina Bay.
Reflecting on those early preparations, Hamilton explained that he had been enthusiastic about the concept from the beginning. He remembered testing the Singapore circuit on McLaren’s simulator and being impressed by the lighting arrangements introduced for the event.
The successful implementation of floodlit racing in Singapore subsequently demonstrated how the format could be adopted elsewhere. Hamilton recalled that similar lighting systems were eventually introduced at other venues, allowing Formula 1 to stage additional races after sunset.
One particularly memorable example for the Ferrari driver was Bahrain, where extreme daytime temperatures had previously made running especially demanding.
Hamilton recalled discussing the conditions with Bahrain’s Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, during a period of testing at the circuit. The temperatures had been exceptionally high, creating an environment in which the tyres and cars were struggling with the heat.
He explained that those conditions had prompted him to suggest that the Bahrain circuit would look spectacular if it hosted its Grand Prix at night. Several years later, the event adopted precisely that format, reinforcing his belief that evening races can offer advantages beyond their visual appeal.
How Bahrain’s Grand Prix changed from daytime to night racing
The Bahrain Grand Prix originally joined the Formula 1 World Championship in 2004 as a daytime event. Its early editions exposed drivers, teams and spectators to the intense temperatures associated with racing in the region.
The 2005 Bahrain Grand Prix was particularly notable, with temperatures reaching 42.8 degrees Celsius. That event is recognised as the hottest Grand Prix in Formula 1 history, illustrating the demanding conditions that competitors faced before the race moved to an evening schedule.
In 2014, Bahrain switched to racing under floodlights, marking a significant change in the event’s identity. The night-time format subsequently became an established feature of the Grand Prix and an example of how circuits in hot climates could approach race scheduling differently.
Hamilton believes this consideration remains especially important at venues where extreme heat can make daytime events uncomfortable. He identified Qatar as another example, suggesting that holding a race in the middle of the day could create unpleasant conditions not only for spectators but also for personnel working throughout the paddock.
His argument therefore extends beyond the spectacle of illuminated circuits. For the seven-time world champion, night racing can also make sense when local temperatures would otherwise create particularly difficult conditions for those attending and working at a Grand Prix.
Could Madrid become another Formula 1 night race?
Hamilton also identified Madrid as a circuit that could potentially benefit from an evening start, following Formula 1’s recent visit to the Spanish capital.
The Ferrari driver acknowledged that Madrid had looked beautiful during the day, but suggested that the venue could also provide an impressive setting for racing at night. He believes the same possibility could apply to numerous other circuits across the championship.
Madrid’s arrival on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar introduced another venue to the championship, with the Madring circuit hosting the Spanish Grand Prix. Hamilton’s comments raise the possibility of considering different race times at such locations in the future, rather than treating the existing daytime format as the only option.
Importantly, the seven-time world champion did not suggest that every Grand Prix should permanently become a night race. Instead, he expressed interest in allowing circuits greater flexibility to alternate between daytime and evening events over time.
Such an approach would preserve the characteristics of traditional daytime races while giving suitable venues the opportunity to explore a different atmosphere under artificial lighting.
How many night races were planned for the 2026 F1 calendar?
Formula 1’s original 2026 schedule contained 24 Grands Prix, with six events planned to take place at night: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Those six races represented 25 per cent of the original championship calendar, demonstrating how night racing has grown since Singapore first introduced the concept in 2008.
However, the situation changed following the disruption to events in the Middle East caused by the Iran War. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were affected by cancellations, while uncertainty also surrounded the other Middle Eastern events, raising the possibility that Singapore and Las Vegas could be the only night races to proceed.
The changes have complicated the original balance between daytime and evening events, although Hamilton’s proposal concerns the longer-term possibilities for Formula 1 rather than a specific alteration to the remaining 2026 schedule.
His reflections also follow a Singapore weekend that highlighted the importance of the Marina Bay circuit’s distinctive characteristics, with Ferrari having to consider the demands of a venue where traction, speed and circuit layout influence performance.
Lewis Hamilton sees greater flexibility as the future of F1 night racing
For Hamilton, the appeal of expanding night racing lies in the opportunity to adapt Formula 1 events to their surroundings. The transformation of Bahrain demonstrated how a Grand Prix originally held during the day could develop a different identity after moving to an evening start.
Singapore remains another important reference point, having established the format in 2008 and shown that a major city-centre race could be staged successfully under floodlights.
Madrid now provides a more recent example of a circuit that Hamilton believes could look impressive after dark, even though he also appreciates its daytime setting. His suggestion is that circuits might eventually be given the option to switch between the two formats rather than commit permanently to one.
The Ferrari driver did not outline a formal proposal or identify a specific timetable for introducing additional night races. Nevertheless, his enthusiasm for the concept reflects his belief that Formula 1 could make greater use of a format already established at several venues.
With extreme temperatures an important consideration at some circuits and the visual appeal of floodlit racing already demonstrated elsewhere, Hamilton sees the possibility of more flexible Grand Prix start times as an interesting direction for the championship to explore.
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