Brazilian Grand Prix

November 3, 2024, at home

I am watching live coverage of the twenty-first race of the 2024 Formula 1 racing season. The Brazilian Grand Prix is being broadcast on ESPN2 from a feed from Sky Sports F1. The race started at 12:30 p.m. local time (10:30 a.m. Eastern Time in the United States).

Due to rain yesterday, qualifying was moved from yesterday morning to early this morning. The start of the race was then altered, so now ESPN2 won't start broadcasting the race until 11:30 a.m., an hour after it started, because of coverage of the New York City Marathon.

Below is a diagram of the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, better known as Autódromo de Interlagos or simply Interlagos, in São Paulo, Brazil. Each circuit (track) around the world has a different configuration, therefore a different dynamic, regarding turns and elevation fluctuations.

This season's 24-race schedule is as follows: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia, Japan, China, Miami, Italy, Monaco, Canada, Spain, Austria, Great Britain, Hungary, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy (different circuit), Azerbaijan, Singapore, Austin, Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi.

The first two races this season (in Bahrain and in Saudi Arabia) were held on Saturdays due to the Islamic observance of Ramadan. All other races will be held on Sundays, as usual, except for the Las Vegas Grand Prix which will also be held on Saturday.

Before each race, there are two days of practice/qualifying. The races run every week or every other week from March into December.

In Formula 1 racing, there are 20 (male) drivers, with zero drivers from the United States. A driver from the United States made it more than halfway through the season, but he was recently replaced.

There are 10 teams (with two drivers on each team), so not only do drivers compete against their rivals, but they also compete against their teammates. There are two championships: one for the drivers and one for the constructor teams.

This season, as with last season, there are three races in the United States. In fairly recent years, there were no drivers from the United States and no races in the United States.

Formula 1 racing is the only sport that I actively follow. I have been a fan for decades. I watched my first F1 race decades ago on television at the home of one of my many Austrian cousins while on vacation in Austria.

UPDATE: There were 69 laps today.