Skip to main content

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Recommended for you

Close encounters bookend glorious Goodwood’s 83rd Members’ Meeting

General
Close encounters bookend glorious Goodwood’s 83rd Members’ Meeting

Why 'inevitably' struck again in IndyCar as Palou won at Long Beach

Feature
IndyCar
Long Beach
Why 'inevitably' struck again in IndyCar as Palou won at Long Beach

Tech3 forced into fielding just one bike for MotoGP Spanish GP

MotoGP
Spanish GP
Tech3 forced into fielding just one bike for MotoGP Spanish GP

How "making no mistakes" was pivotal in Toyota pipping Ferrari at WEC 2026 opener

Feature
WEC
Imola
How "making no mistakes" was pivotal in Toyota pipping Ferrari at WEC 2026 opener

Breaking down the term 'artificial overtake' – and comparisons with F1's previous turbo era

Formula 1
Miami GP
Breaking down the term 'artificial overtake' – and comparisons with F1's previous turbo era

BTCC Donington Park: Sutton storms to final victory of opening weekend

BTCC
Donington Park (National Circuit)
BTCC Donington Park: Sutton storms to final victory of opening weekend

WEC Imola: Toyota denies Ferrari home win in season opener

WEC
Imola
WEC Imola: Toyota denies Ferrari home win in season opener

Huff wins Goodwood Members’ Meeting Super Touring Shoot-Out

General
Huff wins Goodwood Members’ Meeting Super Touring Shoot-Out

Formula 1 alters grand prix start times after Jules Bianchi crash

Formula 1 chiefs have shifted the start times of five grands prix for 2015 as a result of the lessons learned from Jules Bianchi's Japanese Grand Prix crash last year

The investigation panel that looked into the circumstances surrounding Bianchi's Suzuka accident recommended that future daytime F1 races should not start when there is a risk of running in fading light conditions.

It stated: "It is proposed that a regulation or guideline be established such that the start time of an event shall not be less than four hours before either sunset or dusk, except in the case of night races."

Although no change to the rules was put in place - with the FIA comfortable that it would never allow races to continue when it felt it was too dark - there has still been a tweak to several start times to avoid the risk of trouble.

The times for Australia (now 4pm), Malaysia (3pm), China (2pm), Japan (2pm) and Russia (2pm) are all one hour earlier than they were in 2014.

All the events had previously run later because of a desire to ensure that they were broadcast at a time more suitable for European television audiences.

Bianchi remains in hospital in France as the result of the serious head injuries he sustained when he struck a recovery vehicle that was retrieving Adrian Sutil's Sauber.

The start times of all the 2015 races are:

15/03 Australia: 16:00 (UK: 05:00)
29/03 Malaysia: 15:00 (UK: 08:00)
12/04 China: 14:00 (UK: 07:00)
19/04 Bahrain: 18:00 (UK: 16:00)
10/05 Spain: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)
24/05 Monaco: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)
07/06 Canada: 14:00 (UK: 19:00)
21/06 Austria: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)
05/07 Britain: 13:00
19/07 Germany: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)
26/07 Hungary: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)
23/08 Belgium: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)
06/09 Italy: 14:00 (UK: 13:00)
20/09 Singapore: 20:00 (UK: 13:00)
27/09 Japan: 14:00 (UK: 06:00)
11/10 Russia: 14:00 (UK: 12:00)
25/10 United States: 14:00 (UK: 19:00)
01/11 Mexico: 13:00 (UK: 19:00)
15/11 Brazil: 14:00 (UK: 16:00)
29/11 Abu Dhabi: 17:00 (UK: 13:00)

Previous article Is Verstappen really ready for F1?
Next article New Force India F1 car will not run at first Jerez test

Top Comments

Latest news