F1 continues trend heading into first races of 2024

When the flag drops at the end of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, it will be the fourth Formula 1 race in a row that has started and finished after sunset.

This is following on from the inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, Abu Dhabi, this year's season opener in Bahrain.

Night races have become more popular on the F1 calendar since their introduction in 2008 at the Singapore Grand Prix, with the current schedule now featuring six races.

The events are particularly popular in the Middle East because they enable Grands Prix to be held during a traditional early-afternoon start time for the European viewing audience.

But other races, such as the Australian Grand Prix, have proposed the idea of holding a twilight or night races, with the circuits potentially installing lights to make proposals a reality.

More night races needed?

If the current calendar set-up for 2025 mirrors this season's schedule, then with the addition of the Qatar, Las Vegas, Abu Dhabi triple header there would be five races in a row held at night.

It's a nightmare if you are trying to look for a photo of the cars in broad daylight, but it does provide a spectacle and often shows things you would not normally see under sunlight such as glowing brake discs or sparks from the floor skids.

Do you think night races are overused and oversaturated in F1 these days?