DECEMBER 11, 2009

The final F1 calendar

The final F1 calendar has been announced with a number of changes designed to make the World Championship a little less taxing for those involved. Monaco has been moved forward a week from May 23 to May 16.

The final F1 calendar has been announced with a number of changes designed to make the World Championship a little less taxing for those involved. Monaco has been moved forward a week from May 23 to May 16. This means that teams will have more time to get their equipment to Turkey. This race is unpopular but remains on the calendar presumably because it generates a lot of income for the rights holder. No-one else, least of all the Turks, seems to care if it is held or not. Towards the end of the season Japan has been moved back a week to October 10, creating a two-week gap between the races in Singapore and Japan. Korea will move forward a week and will be two weeks later, assuming that the track is finished and is granted a suitable licence. Brazil has been shunted forward a week to November 7 and there is only a week between the event and the finale in Abu Dhabi. This may sound illogical given the geographic distance between the two venues but with charter planes and efficient customs operations this will mean that shifting the equipment will take only a few hours longer than a shorter flight.

The full list of dates is as follows: March 14, Bahrain; March 28, Australia; April 4, Malaysia; April 18, China; May 9, Spain; May 16, Monaco; May 30, Turkey; June 13, Canada; June 27, Valencia (GP of Europe); July 11 Great Britain; July 25, Germany; August 1, Hungary; August 29, Belgium; September 12, Italy; September 26, Singapore; October 10, Japan; October 24, Korea; November 7, Brazil; November 14, Abu Dhabi.

The races in Australia and Abu Dhabi will start at 1700 local time, in Malaysia at 1600 local time, in Canada at 1200 local time, in Singapore at 2000 local time, and in Japan at 1500 local time.