The timetable for the Las Vegas Grand Prix has been brought forward by two hours this year, following concerns that its previous schedule was not the best fit for Formula 1.
On Monday, the FIA revealed the starting times for all 24 races on the 2025 schedule.
Most are unchanged from last season, but the most notable difference is in the timing for the Las Vegas GP – which will have all its sessions taking place two hours earlier than before.
For the first two years, the Las Vegas race start time was 10pm – which ensured that it could be broadcast at a not-too-unsuitable time for Europe.
However, the lateness of that event – allied to jetlag complications – triggered complaints from drivers and teams about how much it took out of people, especially at the start of a triple header.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner famously said after the inaugural race in 2023: "Everybody is leaving Vegas slightly f***ed!
“One way or another it has been a brutal weekend for everyone behind the scenes, and I think we need to look at how we can improve that for the future."
For the 2024 Las Vegas GP, sessions on Friday and Saturday were moved forward by two hours compared to the first year – when qualifying was held at midnight.
However, for this year, everything is shifting forward another two hours – with qualifying and the race both scheduled for 8pm on Friday and Saturday respectively.
A statement from the Las Vegas organisers said: “This adjustment 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.”
The change in timetable will mean the main action begins earlier on Sunday morning in Europe, so could have an impact on television audiences there.
However, it will mean the race takes place in a slightly better slot for the rest of the United States – which has been one of the key targets for F1 owners Liberty Media.
F1 2025 race start times (local and UK)
|
Race |
Local start time |
UK time |
|
Australian GP |
15:00 |
04:00 |
|
Chinese GP |
15:00 |
07:00 |
|
Japanese GP |
14:00 |
06:00 |
|
Bahrain GP |
18:00 |
16:00 |
|
Saudi Arabian GP |
20:00 |
18:00 |
|
Miami GP |
16:00 |
21:00 |
|
Emilia Romagna GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
Monaco GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
Spanish GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
Canadain GP |
14:00 |
19:00 |
|
Austrian GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
British GP |
15:00 |
15:00 |
|
Belgian GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
Hungarian GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
Dutch GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
Italian GP |
15:00 |
14:00 |
|
Azerbaijan GP |
15:00 |
12:00 |
|
Singapore GP |
20:00 |
13:00 |
|
US GP |
14:00 |
20:00 |
|
Mexican GP |
14:00 |
20:00 |
|
Brazilian GP |
14:00 |
17:00 |
|
Las Vegas GP |
20:00 |
04:00 |
|
Qatar GP |
19:00 |
16:00 |
|
Abu Dhabi GP |
17:00 |
13:00 |
