Formula 1: Strange change could catch fans off guard to start the 2024 season

And no, not because it's a sprint weekend; it's not. The 2024 Formula 1 season is scheduled to begin this Saturday, March 2 with the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit. The reason why the race is not scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 3, like it ordinarily would be, is because of the following weekend's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix at Jeddah Corniche Circuit.

Due to the start of Ramadan, the 24-race season's second event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 9, rather than Sunday, March 10.

To avoid giving teams one less day of travel/preparation leading up to the Jeddah event, the schedule was altered so that the Bahrain event opens up the season on a Saturday.

Prior to 2023, Formula 1 hadn't held a Saturday race since 1985.

Now here we are in the midst of a 12-month stretch in which four Saturday Formula 1 races are on the schedule, beginning with this past November's Las Vegas Grand Prix at the new Las Vegas Strip Circuit, the first race in Las Vegas since the 1982 Caesars Palace Grand Prix.

This year's Las Vegas Grand Prix is also scheduled to take place on a Saturday night, this retaining its 1:00 a.m. Sunday start time on the East Coast.

Prior to last year, the most recent Saturday Formula 1 race was the Grand Prix of South Africa at Kyalami Circuit, which was contested on October 19, 1985.

The other 21 races on this year's schedule are all scheduled to take place on Sunday, both local time and Eastern Time. The first Sunday race of the 2024 season is the Australian Grand Prix, which is scheduled to take place on March 24 at Albert Park Circuit.

ESPN is set to provide live coverage of the Bahrain Grand Prix beginning at 9:55 a.m. ET, while ESPN2 is set to provide live coverage of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix beginning at 11:55 a.m. ET and of the Australian Grand Prix beginning at 11:55 p.m. ET (Saturday). Begin a free trial of FuboTV today and don't miss any of the action!