F1 Today | New factory opens, and F1 make a change to their timetable

F1 News

f1 today as a new factory opens and f1 make a change to their timetable
30 September at 22:00
  • Olly Darcy
  • Editor

The Formula 1 season may be on hold on the track with the Autumn break in full flow, but the work off-track does not stop. Formula 1 themselves have been busy, and they have made a change to the timetable for one of the six remaining Grands Prix in 2024. As well as that, there has been a new factory opening today, as well as rumours of a potential new Grand Prix that could be on the calendar in the future.

FP2 in Mexico to be extended

In a change to the timetable for the Mexican Grand Prix, free practice two will be extended to 90 minutes. It has been extended from the usual 60 minutes by half an hour to accommodate a Pirelli tyre test for the 2025 season that teams and drivers will participate in.

The soft tyres will be tested in this extra 30 minutes at Pirelli's request. It is not the first time that tyre testing has been done in a free practice session, with the United States Grand Prix used to do the same in 2022.

Alpine opens new factory

News came out today that a new "high-tech engineering centre" has been opened by Alpine. Engineers working on their F1 engines will relocate as a result of the new factory opening, as the French team, along with the Renault Group, look to expand their design and production.

For Alpine in F1, the last few months have been extremely tricky, with former team principal Bruno Famin saying that Renault will not supply engines for the regulation change in 2026, which led to strikes from engineers working on the project during the Italian Grand Prix weekend. However, there has been no official confirmation on whether Renault will stop their F1 engine production, meaning work is carrying on despite discussions. It is an important choice that new F1 team boss Oliver Oakes will have to make. 

New Grand Prix venue on the horizon?

With the emergence of Franco Colapinto in the world of F1, there is a buzz of excitement in Argentina. The Argentine has come into Williams and raced superbly alongside Alex Albon after replacing Logan Sargeant before the Italian Grand Prix. 

As a result, there is a lot of talk surrounding a potential return to Argentina for a Grand Prix, which would be the first since 1998. The Argentine Sports Minister has expressed a desire to bring an F1 race back to Argentina, and he hopes to use the Autódromo Oscar Alfredo Gálvez circuit which has held Grands Prix in the past.

Colapinto may not race in an Argentine Grand Prix if it is added to the calendar for the 2025 season, as he will be replaced by Carlos Sainz for the 2025 season at Williams. However, the F1 buzz he has brought to the country might mean he will race in one in the near future.