New Season of Formula 1 Racing Launches This Weekend with Expanded Coverage on ESPN

On the heels of airing the two most-viewed seasons of Formula 1 racing ever on U.S. Television, ESPN kicks off the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship season this weekend with the running of Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.  All races and On-Track Sessions from F1's largest schedule in history to air exclusively on ESPN Networks and platforms.  There will be more surround coverage added, including qualifying pre-show for all events and additional coverage on Sports Center. 

F1 is embarking on a 24-race schedule in 2024, the largest ever for the championship.  ESPN will serve sports fans with expanded coverage, including the addition of qualifying pre-show for the full season and additional F1 coverage on Sports Center.  Mercedes Benz will be returning as telecast presenting sponsor, all live race broadcasts will continue the commercial-free presentation used over the past six seasons, a format that has been a fan favorite. 

New for 2024, Liquid IV will be the season-long pre-race Grand Prix Sunday telecast presenting sponsor, and Heineken returns as the sole sponsor of the pre- and post-race coverage on Sports Center.  Also, new for 2024, ESPN platforms will have live coverage of all seven rounds, including races, practice and qualifying, for the second season of F1 Academy, a F1 priority project to develop and prepare female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition.  The series began in 2023 and ESPN aired the final round held in conjunction with the US Grand Prix.  The first F1 Academy rece of the season will be on International Women's Day (March 8) in Saudi Arabia.  The 2022 F1 season was the most-viewed season ever on U.S. television, the second largest average in history, and included three of the four largest live U.S. F1 race audiences ever.  F1 returned to its original U.S. television home in 2018 - the first race ever aired in the country was on ABC in 1962.  F1 races also aired on ESPN from 1984-1997.