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Every Formula 1 race is unique. Different circuits have characteristics which makes them famous, whether they’re iconic tracks, or temporary street circuits.
Most Formula 1 races last around two hours dependant on the number of red flag incidents. However, a race cannot last more than three hours. Unlike some other motorsport series, Formula 1 races are run to a specific distance, rather than time or a set number of laps. This number of laps changes dependant on the length of the circuit, to ensure each race is roughly the same length of time.
That’s why you may see one race that has 78 laps, and the next week it has 40 laps at a different circuit.
This also has an impact on fans in the grandstands at a race. You will want to know exactly how many loops of the circuit the cars will make, and how many times they will pass your view.
Our handy guide lists the number of laps of Formula 1 races for the 2024 season, and answers any questions you might have about the length of F1 races.
Formula 1: Circuit lengths, race distances and number of laps
How many laps are there in each Formula 1 race?
The list of races below lists the different Formula 1 races, the length of the circuit, race distance and number of laps in each Grand Prix.
| Race | Circuit | Circuit length | Race Distance | Laps |
| Bahrain Grand Prix | Bahrain International Circuit | 5.412km | 308.238km | 57 |
| Saudi Arabia Grand Prix | Jeddah Street Circuit | 6.175km | 308.750km | 50 |
| Australian Grand Prix | Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit | 5.303km | 307.574km | 58 |
| Japanese Grand Prix | Suzuka | 5.807km | 307.471km | 53 |
| Chinese Grand Prix | Shanghai International Circuit | 5.451km | 305.066km | 56 |
| Miami Grand Prix | Hard Rock Stadium Circuit | 5.41km | 308.37km | 57 |
| Imola Grand Prix | Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari | 4.909km | 309.949km | 63 |
| Monaco Grand Prix | Circuit de Monaco | 3.337km | 260.286km | 78 |
| Canadian Grand Prix | Circuit Gilles Villeneuve | 4.361km | 305.270km | 70 |
| Spanish Grand Prix | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | 4.655km | 307.104km | 66 |
| Austrian Grand Prix | Red Bull Ring | 4.318km | 306.452km | 71 |
| British Grand Prix | Silverstone Circuit | 5.891km | 306.198km | 52 |
| Hungarian Grand Prix | Hungaroring | 4.381km | 306.630km | 70 |
| Belgian Grand Prix | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | 7.004km | 308.052km | 44 |
| Dutch Grand Prix | Zandvoort | 4.259km | 306.648km | 72 |
| Italian Grand Prix | Autodromo Nazionale di Monza | 5.793km | 306.720km | 53 |
| Azerbaijan Grand Prix | Baku City Circuit | 6.003km | 306.049km | 51 |
| Singapore Grand Prix | Marina Bay Street Circuit | 5.063km | 308.706km | 61 |
| United States Grand Prix | Circuit of the Americas | 5.513km | 308.405km | 56 |
| Mexican Grand Prix | Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez | 4.304km | 305.354km | 71 |
| Brazilian Grand Prix | Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace | 4.309km | 305.879km | 71 |
| Las Vegas Grand Prix | Las Vegas Street Circuit | 6.201km | 310.05km | 50 |
| Qatar Grand Prix | Lusail Circuit | 5.419km | 308.826km | 57 |
| Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | Yas Marina Circuit | 5.554km | 305.355km | 55 |
What are the rules about race distances?
The minimum length of a Formula 1 race is 305km, or 190 miles. A race must complete at least as many laps as it takes to get to that distance.
However, there is an exception. The Monaco Grand Prix is run to a distance of 260km, or 160 miles. Why the exception? A lap of Monaco is short, but slow. Max Verstappen’s average speed when he won the 2021 race was 157km/h, compared to the 288km/h by which he won in Styria. Therefore, the exception is made to run it to a shorter distance.
How long is a Formula 1 race?
A Formula 1 race will last around two hours (typically between 80 and 100 minutes) from start to finish. This can be longer if there are many Safety Car periods, where the cars slow down, or red flags, which pauses the race. In the case of a red flag, the race is likely to last over two hours.
What was the longest Formula 1 race is history?
The longest race in Formula 1 was back in 2011 at the Canadian Grand Prix. It was plagued by a record six Safety Car and Red Flag periods as the clock ran for a grand total of four hours, four minutes and 39 seconds in Montreal. The very wet race was eventually won by McLaren’s Jenson Button.
In 2021 the FIA reduced the maximum length of a Formula 1 race to three hours. This means that we will not see a repeat of this mammoth time.
What’s the most number of laps in a single F1 race?
Formula 1 drivers used to take on 200 laps of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. That was through the 50s and ‘60s, when the Indy 500 was a part of the championship. The most laps in a race currently on the calendar is Monaco. Here the drivers do dizzying 78 laps of the famous street circuit.
The circuit with the fewest laps is Spa in Belgium. The track is more than 7km in length which means that the race consists of just 44 laps.
Tickets to the 2024 F1 season are already selling fast – book your Formula 1 tickets here!