For the European audience, the 2024 Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix will take place very early: but why has the schedule changed? We’ve gotten used to waking up early for the Australian Grand Prix, but the 2024 edition has a notably unusual schedule. At least for the European audience.
Last year, the race in Melbourne started at 7:00 AM Central European Standard Time. And while the sun was beginning to set in the land of kangaroos, due to a Grand Prix interrupted several times by a red flag situation, on the other side of the world, it was morning.
What changes this year? The 2024 Australian Grand Prix weekend will have an entirely nocturnal schedule for Europeans. When the lights go out on Sunday, it will be 5 AM Central European Standard Time. At Albert Park circuit, however, it will be 3 PM of the same day.
Why this change in schedule? In the 2023 Melbourne edition, several drivers complained about the race being too long (for the reason mentioned above), which also led to poor visibility on the track. Indeed, in the final stages, the sun was setting.
What season is it in Australia?
For this reason, to ensure greater safety for the drivers, the Grand Prix will start at 3 PM local time, when the sun is still high, but with a small difference. There is a 10-hour difference between Australia and Central Europe.
Remember, we are in the Southern Hemisphere, where the seasons are opposite to those of the Northern Hemisphere, which includes Europe. Technically, it’s autumn in Melbourne, and winter has not yet begun. In Europe, daylight saving time has not yet started (it changes at the end of March).
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What time will we have to get up to follow the Australian GP?
The question, more than anything, is: how long will we have to stay awake? Melbourne’s schedule is suitable for night owls. It starts on Friday, with the first two free practice sessions at 2:30 AM and 6:00 AM.
It continues on Saturday with FP3 at 2:30 AM and qualifying at 6:00 AM. The race will take place at 5:00 AM on Sunday morning. For more details on schedules and programming, we invite you to consult this article.
Source: f1ingenerale
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