Formula 1 has announced revisions to the weekend schedule this year with most of the European races starting at 3.10 pm there. The sport’s owner, Liberty, is set about making changes to the whole of F1 and as part of it the shake-up has come as the biggest in recent years.
The whole weekend timetable in the European races is shifted back in a move to help attract a large number of television audience and make the spectacle watchable for viewers but it certainly has drawn some criticisms.
From this year, the grands prix will now start 10 minutes past the hour as it is said to allow broadcasters better fit in the pre-race build-up in their programs which starts on the hour mark.
Regarding this F1 has released a statement saying some broadcasters usually go on air precisely on the hour, hence missing the tension and emotion that characterize the minutes before the start of each Grand Prix and courtesy of to this change, TV viewers will be brought closer to the teams and the drivers and fully enjoy the spectacle offered just before the red lights go out.
For instance, the 2018 French Grand Prix will also start at 4.10pm local time to avoid clash with the World Cup group game between England and Panama.
Other minor adjustments have been made in order to avoid clashes with other major sports events like the FIFA World Cup, to allow for differing sunset times, and to attract a wider attendance to promoters’ events.