2024 Chinese Grand Prix: Date, time and how to follow as Formula 1’s return to Shanghai International Circuit for first time in five years is marked by new Sprint race weekend format
- This weekend will mark the return of the Chinese Grand Prix to the Shanghai International Circuit
- The Chinese has been absent from the F1 calendar for the past five years due to Covid-19 complications.
- To mark China’s return to F1, this weekend will also see the first sprint weekend of the 2024 F1 season.
Formula 1 returns to Shanghai, China, this weekend for the first time in five years after Covid-19 caused restrictions and complications.
To mark the occasion, Shanghai will host the opening Sprint weekend of the 2024 season – with Red Bull and Max Verstappen expected to dominate at the front of the field once again this weekend.
The program for this race weekend will be slightly different as two of the three practice sessions have been canceled to make way for the Sprint race.
Japan last hosted an F1 Grand Prix in 2019 and since that race the circuit and standings have changed dramatically, with the top two at home in 2019, with Lewis Hamilton and former teammate Valtteri Bottas miles behind pace in 2024.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Shanghai Grand Prix which will see the opening Sprint race of the 2024 calendar season
The Chinese Grand Prix will return to the F1 circuit this weekend after five years of absence due to Covid-19
The last podium in 2019 saw Mercedes record a double, which seems a long way off for the current Mercedes team.
Max Verstappen and Red Bull aim for another dominant race weekend after their Japanese Grand Prix double
Chinese Grand Prix – key information
The 2024 Chinese Grand Prix will take place from Friday April 19 to Sunday April 21 at the Shanghai International Circuit.
The first practice session of the highly anticipated return to the Shanghai International Circuit is set to begin at 4:30am BST on Friday.
This will be the only practice session of the race weekend, due to the Sprint Race.
Unlike non-sprint weekends, there will only be one training session instead of the standard three.
Sprint qualifying is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, April 19, and the sprint race itself is scheduled to begin at 4 a.m. on Saturday, April 20.
Qualifying for the Grand Prix will then take place after the Sprint race, with qualifying for Sunday’s race scheduled to begin at 8 a.m.
The main action of the weekend, the Chinese Grand Prix, is set to begin at 8am UK time on Sunday.
Chinese Grand Prix – Program
Friday April 19
- 4:30 a.m.: 1st practice for the Chinese GP
- 8:30 a.m.: Sprint qualifying
Saturday April 20
- 4 a.m.: Sprint race
- 8:00 a.m.: Chinese GP qualifying
Sunday April 21
- 8:00 a.m.: The Chinese Grand Prix
*All times BST*
This weekend in Shanghai will mark the first sprint race of the 2024 F1 calendar
Where to watch and how to follow?
Mail Sport will be providing live coverage of the Japanese Grand Prix so you can keep up to date with all the latest developments here.
All of this weekend’s F1 action will also be available on Sky Sports F1.
From the very first practice session to the Sprint Race to the Grand Prix itself.
Fans will also be able to stream the race live on the official Sky Go app.
Highlights of the action will be uploaded to the official Formula 1 YouTube channel after the race.
