2024 Formula 1 schedule March 2: Bahrain Grand Prix March 9: Saudi Arabia Grand Prix March 24: Australian Grand Prix April 7: Japanese Grand Prix April 21: Chinese Grand Prix May 5: Miami Grand Prix May 19: Emilia Romagna Grand Prix May 26: Monaco Grand Prix June 9: Canadian Grand Prix June 23: Spanish Grand Prix June 30: Austrian Grand Prix July 7: British Grand Prix July 21: Hungarian Grand Prix July 28: Belgian Grand Prix August 25: Dutch Grand Prix September 1: Italian Grand Prix September 15: Azerbaijan Grand Prix September 22: Singapore Grand Prix October 20: United States Grand Prix October 27: Mexican Grand Prix November 3: Brazilian Grand Prix November 23: Las Vegas Grand Prix December 1: Qatar Grand Prix December 8: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Didn't they move the Japanese GP before and it was a disaster? Typhoon conditions and qualifying on Sunday morning...
I don't recall which season you're referring to. But April is before the rainy season, which usually begins around June. The Typhoons can hit anytime during the summer, all the way through Oct. The Sakura (Cherry Blossom) viewing is kind of hit or miss, got to be lucky to be in Japan at exactly the right time when they're in bloom and they don't last that long. A heavy down pour or strong winds can end the viewing season rather quickly. So I'm not sure if that's the primary reason for the move. Plus I would think the majority of the attendees are from Japan, rather than visitors. Seems to me like they just wanted to align Australia, Japan and China together for geographic & travel reasons perhaps.
Well apparently it happened in 2019, but I was thinking much longer ago... like 2000s. I thought it might have been 2005, but that was very wet - but it was in October like usual.
Yeah, as I mentioned, typhoons can hit Japan all summer long and well into the fall. Both 2019 & 2005 races were held in Oct. The famous 1976 Lauda v Hunt race at Fuji also took place in Oct, during a deluge. There's actually a better chance of nice weather in April. But as I suspected, the move was done to better group certain races more by region. It's stated so here: https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/...-calendar-for-2024.XL3c5Cxi0ZOQzPrUu5izL.html "By moving Japan to April, Azerbaijan to September and Qatar back-to-back with Abu Dhabi, this calendar creates a better flow of races in certain regions"
Yeah; no more Guenther. https://jalopnik.com/after-delivering-8-seasons-at-the-back-of-the-grid-haa-1851155458 Ayao Komatsu, formerly the team's Director of Engineering, has been promoted to be the new Team Principal.