The schedules of certain Grand Prix races moved forward following Jules Bianchi’s accident

Three and a half months after Jules Bianchi’s accident, some Grand Prix organizers have chosen to change the race start times to avoid them taking place in declining light conditions.

Last December, the recommendations of the expert panel appointed by the FIA to investigate the events of the Japanese Grand Prix highlighted the need to move some daytime races earlier. More specifically, the report suggested starting at least four hours before dusk.

On October 5, 2014, Jules Bianchi lost control of his Marussia on the 43rd lap of the Japanese GP, which was held in wet conditions. The rainy weather, linked to the passage of a typhoon near the Japanese coast, resulted in a significant drop in visibility at the end of the event, although race control decided it was not necessary to stop the race.

If the panel’s recommendation has not been turned into a rule, some races will indeed start earlier than last season. Thus, the GP of Australia (4 p.m.), Malaysia (3 p.m.), China (2 p.m.), Japan (2 p.m.), and Russia (2 p.m.) will see their start times moved forward by one hour.

For several years, race start times had been postponed in Asian countries to allow for broadcasting at more favorable times in Europe. This had not been without some issues, particularly in Malaysia where the 2009 Grand Prix was shortened after being interrupted by torrential rain due to a lack of daylight.