It’s a Formula 1 race week, and that means a simple question these days: can anyone stop Max Verstappen?
With Red Bull embroiled in a storm around team principal Christian Horner, Verstappen would have been forgiven for allowing off-track issues to affect concentration at the opening race of 2024 in Bahrain. If it did, there was little sign of it, the reigning champion storming to a dominant victory from the front of the grid, with teammate Sergio Perez second.
Attention now turns to the Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia. Fernando Alonso was quickest in Thursday’s FP2 session, suggesting he could be Red Bull’s biggest obstacle in their bid for another front-row lockout.
Lewis Hamilton, meanwhile, was over half a second off the pace and was involved in an incident that led to Mercedes being fined after Logan Sargeant had to react extremely quickly on a hot lap to avoid crashing with the slow-running Brit.
We’ll also see an F1 debut today, following the news that Carlos Sainz will be unable to take part after being diagnosed with appendicitis. British teenager Oliver Bearman will instead be at the wheel of the Ferrari.
The Sporting News will provide live updates from qualifying at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with a complete starting grid for Saturday’s race to follow.
WATCH in US: F1 qualifying with fubo (free trial)
F1 Saudi Arabia qualifying live updates
2 hours to qualifying start: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix qualifying session. Can anyone stop Max Verstappen this time? Fernando Alonso was quickest in Thursday’s second practice session and will hope to try.
Class of the field in FP2 ⏱️
💪 @alo_oficial #F1 #SaudiArabianGP pic.twitter.com/qRSFxyJc8S
— Formula 1 (@F1) March 7, 2024
F1 2024 schedule: What time is Saudi Arabian qualifying?
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
| Date | Friday, Mar 8 | Friday, Mar 8 | Friday, Mar 8 | Saturday, Mar 9 | Friday, Mar 8 |
| Time | 5 p.m. GMT | 12 p.m. ET | 12 p.m. ET | 4 a.m. AEDT | 10:30 p.m. IST |
F1 2024 schedule: What time is the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix race?
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | India | |
| Date | Saturday, Mar 9 | Saturday, Mar 9 | Saturday, Mar 9 | Sunday, Mar 10 | Saturday, Mar 9 |
| Time | 5 p.m. GMT | 12 p.m. ET | 12 p.m. ET | 4 a.m. AEDT | 10:30 p.m. IST |
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How to watch the 2024 F1 season in the USA
- TV channel: ABC / ESPN
- Live stream: Fubo / ESPN+ / Hulu / Sling TV / YouTube TV
ESPN’s wide-reaching sporting network is showing every F1 race for US audiences in 2024, utilising Sky Sports’ live broadcasts, and also showing some free-to-air circuits on ABC.
US-based F1 fans can also stream each race live using Fubo, which is offering a FREE trial right now, or use ESPN+ among other streaming options. Meanwhile, ESPN Deportes is the exclusive Spanish-language home for all F1 races in the United States.
STREAM: F1 races on ESPN+ in the US
How to watch the 2024 F1 season in Canada
- TV channel: TSN (English); RDS / Noovo (French)
- Live stream: TSN Direct
For F1 fans in Canada, TSN are providing the English-language broadcast of each race, while RDS and Noovo are doing the same for French-speaking viewers.
Races can also be streamed through TSN’s own streaming service, TSN Direct.
How to watch the 2024 F1 season in the UK
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
- Live stream: NOW TV / Sky Go app
As ever, Sky Sports’ dedicated Formula One channel, Sky Sports F1, are showing all the action from every single session in 2024.
For fans planning to live stream their fill of F1 this season, you can also watch by using the Sky Go app if you’re an existing subscriber, or by purchasing a Sky Sports Pass on NOW TV.
How to watch the 2024 F1 season in Australia
- TV channel: Fox Sports / Channel 10
- Live stream: Kayo Sports / Foxtel Go
Fox Sports are covering every race for Australian-based audiences in 2024, while free-to-air station Channel 10 will only be showing the Australian Grand Prix.
How to watch the 2024 F1 season in India
F1 fans in India can watch each circuit on subscription service F1 TV Pro, which also offers full race highlights and replays.
The coverage will include the live broadcast of the practice and qualifying sessions, of top of the races themselves.
