The start times for the 24 races in the 2025 F1 season have been officially confirmed, and the Las Vegas GP is the big change. Max Verstappen sealed the crown there last year.
The race on the West Coast of the United States has started at 22:00 local time in 2023 and 2024. It came in for criticism as it was at the start of a triple-header involving Qatar and the UAE. The start time has been moved back by two hours to 20:00. That is at 05:00 CET.
The Las Vegas GP said the change “is based on feedback, insights and experience from the first two races, expanding opportunities for fans to explore the destination and continuing to engage with more fans across the US. Details on the event and road closure schedules will be shared in the coming months.”
The season starts Down Under at Albert Park in Melbourne for the first time since 2019, and the F1 start time is at 15:00 local once again in 2025. Asia hosts the next two races with China and Japan, followed by Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. Miami follows that, before the circus returns to Europe, with a trip to Canada between the Spanish and Austrian Grands Prix.
With six Sprints taking place in 2025, there will be 30 races overall in the season. Plenty of drivers have criticised this over the last couple of years, including four-time defending World Champion Max Verstappen, seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso, and four-time race winner Carlos Sainz.
Max Verstappen
“From my side I’ve said it before — this is not sustainable.
“I love racing a lot and I do it a lot also outside of Formula One.
“But, if people in the sport start shortening their careers because it’s too much I think that’s a shame. And so hopefully of course we can have a look at that for the future.”
Fernando Alonso
“When I started we had 16 races, then it was 18 at some point, and then I think when Liberty [Media] came it was like a message that we have 20 one season and that was absolutely the limit, 20 races.
“And now we are up to 24 and this is not sustainable for the future.
“Even the world champion thinks this is a little bit long, the season. Imagine for the rest of us. We go to the races in the second half for nothing, there is no incentive to fight for anything.”
Carlos Sainz
“I think Formula One is risking being too constant having one race every weekend and losing that appetite of everyone switching on the TV to watch Formula One. And F1 needs to remain exclusive, needs to remain a sport where everyone is looking forward to the race and not something you can get used to by switching on the TV or radio and a league match every weekend.”
Lewis Hamilton
“I think we are on the limit already, maybe already over it. But I think we just have to be conscious of quality verses quantity.
“We also have to think about the impact on the world with the more races we put on this circus traveling everywhere. Sustainability should be at the heart of the decisions that they’re [Formula One Management] making moving forwards.”
