Formula 1: Chinese sprint race not being broadcast on ESPN
By Asher Fair
The first of six sprint races on the 2024 Formula 1 schedule is scheduled to take place this weekend at Shanghai International Circuit ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix, which is the fifth of 24 regular races on the record-breaking calendar. The sprint race is the first Formula 1 race of any kind in China since 2019.
The sprint race, which is now a standalone event that has no bearing on the starting lineup for the Chinese Grand Prix itself, is roughly one-third the length of the main event.
With the Chinese Grand Prix being scheduled to be a 56-lap race around the 16-turn, 3.388-mile (5.452-kilometer) road course in Jiading, Shanghai, China, the sprint race is scheduled to last for 19 laps.
China Formula 1 sprint race not on ESPN
Despite the fact that the Chinese Grand Prix is the third of 12 races on this year's schedule set to be broadcast on ESPN as opposed to ESPN2 or ABC, the sprint race will not be. Instead, it is set to be broadcast live on ESPNU.
A chaotic qualifying session for the sprint race took place earlier on Friday, and it was McLaren's Lando Norris who took the pole position -- and then had his lap time deleted, before it was reinstated -- and it is set to start alongside Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton.
The bizarre session started out dry and ended in the rain, but not before a grass fire in turn seven, the same spot where one ignited during the weekend's one and only practice session beforehand.
Three-time reigning world champion and current world championship leader Max Verstappen of Red Bull only managed to qualify in fourth place and is set to start alongside Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso in third. Five teams took the top five spots, with Ferrari's Carlos Sainz Jr. qualifying fifth.
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Tune in to ESPNU at 10:55 p.m. ET on Friday, April 19 for the live broadcast of the sprint race from Shanghai International Circuit. Qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix is set to be broadcast live on ESPN2 beginning at 2:55 a.m. ET on Saturday, April 20, and the race itself is set to be broadcast live on ESPN beginning at 2:55 a.m. ET on Sunday, April 21. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action!
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