Your guide to the longest ever Formula 1 season

The off-season is almost over as Formula 1 prepares for its longest campaign to date.

Last year lacked battles and drama as Max Verstappen dominated, leaving many longing for scenes like those we witnessed in 2021 when the Dutchman and Lewis Hamilton scrapped it out until the last lap of the season.

But what is in store this year? We’ll get a first look at the cars on the track during pre-season testing , which runs from 21-23 February.

Here is everything you will need to know before lights are out at the first race in Bahrain.

Your guide to the longest ever Formula 1 season

This year will be the longest F1 season to date, with a record-breaking 24 races planned across 21 countries.

There should have been 24 in 2023, too, but two were cancelled.

No new locations figure in the 2024 calendar, but we do welcome back two tracks. The Chinese Grand Prix makes its long-awaited return after Covid-related cancellations and Emilia Romagna is back after the 2023 race was called off because of heavy flooding in northern Italy.

Las Vegas, which returned to the calendar last year, retains its spot as a Saturday race. Bahrain and Saudi Arabia will also race on Saturday to accommodate the Muslim holy month Ramadan.

In announcing the calendar, Formula 1 said it had moved towards a “greater” regionalisation, with the intention of making the season more sustainable.

But some drivers aren’t happy with the schedule.

Champion Verstappen said 24 races was “too many” while Briton Lando Norris said 24 was “a lot” and added: “If I picked the perfect number, it’s probably closer to 20.”

As in 2023, there will be six sprint races this year – in China, Miami, Austria, the US, Brazil and Qatar. China and Miami will be hosting sprint races for the first time.

Verstappen has made it clear he is not a fan of the format, but other drivers seem to enjoy them.

“I think six sprint races is good,” said Charles Leclerc.

“To have one free practice and go straight to qualifying is something I enjoy.”

We may yet see another change to sprint race weekends, though, with governing body the FIA looking to make them easier to follow.

“The commission gave overall support for an update to the sprint format for 2024 to further rationalise the weekend by separating sprint activities from those for the grand prix,” it said in a statement.

A plan to move qualifying for the sprint to Friday and hold the shorter race on Saturday before grand prix qualifying has been effectively agreed.

The changes are set to be announced before the new season begins.

Has anything changed with the teams and drivers? Yes and no.

For the first time in F1 history, the first race of the new season will have the same driver line-up as the last race of the previous one.

But while the drivers remain the same, two team have changed their names.

Alfa Romeo have switched back to their original name – Sauber. The team will be officially called Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber.

And Red Bull’s sister team Alpha Tauri had changed their name to Visa Cash App RB.

The cost cap, brought in for 2021, limits the amount a team can spend on their car within a year.

All 10 teams complied with the cost cap in 2022 after Red Bull had a minor overspend in 2021, which resulted in a $7m (£5.5m) fine.

The cost cap was $135m (£106m) in 2023 and remains the same for both 2024 and 2025. Previously, the budget was $140m (£110m) for 2022 and $145m (£114m) for 2021.

In the long term, the FIA has placed a ban on 2026 car development.

A statement read: “The commission agreed that no work may be carried out on the development of a car for the 2026 season before the start of 2025.”

Ready for silly season, F1 fans?

A huge majority of the drivers go into this season with just one year left on their contracts.

That could mean a huge shake-up in the ranks. Will we see drivers moving to rival teams? Will there be any retirements? Will anyone step up from the reserve ranks?

Some 14 drivers are on contracts running until the end of the season: Sergio Perez (Red Bull), Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc (Ferrari), Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly (Alpine), Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas (Sauber), Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen (Haas), Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo (Visa Cash App RB), Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant (Williams).

Lance Stroll’s contract length isn’t publicly known, but it is thought he is on a rolling deal.

It was rumoured Perez might retire before 2024 after a run of disappointing performances but he said he would “give my very best” to the new season and it would not be his final contract.

Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur, meanwhile, told Sky Italy he was in “no rush” to extend Leclerc and Sainz’s contracts.

Verstappen, Mercedes duo Hamilton and George Russell, and McLaren’s Norris and Oscar Piastri are contracted beyond the end of the season.

A new season brings with it changes that are intended to make the sport better for drivers and teams.

After the extreme heat at last year’s Qatar Grand Prix, where several drivers became unwell, the FIA announced a plan to improve conditions in the car.

A scoop will be installed in the cockpit, which will boost driver cooling.

Meanwhile, a tyre blanket ban which was due to be implemented in 2025 – with an evaluation in 2024 – has been postponed.

You will be able to follow live text updates for every race this season on the BBC Sport app and website. BBC Radio 5 Live will also bring you radio coverage across every session.

Teams will launch their new cars in February, before the 24-race season begins. It gives fans the chance to get a good look before teams set out for pre-season testing.

5 February – Sauber

5 February – Williams

7 February – Alpine

8 February – Visa Cash App RB

11 February – Haas

12 February – Aston Martin

13 February – Ferrari

14 February – Mercedes

14 February – McLaren

15 February – Red Bull

Bahrain Grand Prix – 29 February-2 March

Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – 7-9 March

Australian Grand Prix – 22-24 March

Japanese Grand Prix – 5-7 April

Chinese Grand Prix – 19-21 April

Miami Grand Prix – 3-5 May

Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – 17-19 May

Monaco Grand Prix – 24-26 May

Canadian Grand Prix – 7-9 June

Spanish Grand Prix – 21-23 June

Austrian Grand Prix – 28-30 June

British Grand Prix – 5-7 July

Hungarian Grand Prix – 19-21 July

Belgian Grand Prix – 26-28 July

Dutch Grand Prix – 23-25 August

Italian Grand Prix – 30 August-1 September

Azerbaijan Grand Prix – 13-15 September

Singapore Grand Prix – 20-22 September

United States Grand Prix – 18-20 October

Mexican Grand Prix – 25-27 October

Brazilian Grand Prix – 1-3 November

Las Vegas Grand Prix – 21-23 November

Qatar Grand Prix – 30 November-1 December

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – 6-8 December

Red Bull – Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez

Mercedes – Lewis Hamilton and George Russell

Ferrari – Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz

McLaren – Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

Aston Martin – Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll

Alpine – Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon

Williams – Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant

Visa Cash App RB – Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda

Sauber – Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu

Haas – Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen