For the first time in the history of the competition, Formula 1 will have three consecutive races, as the FIA has recently announced the F1 calendar for next season, which will include the French, Austrian and British Grands Prix on successive weekends.
With the return of the French GP at Circuit Paul Ricard and the German round at Hockenheim, the 21-race calendar was approved at the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. The Azerbaijan GP moves from June to April, before Spain, while the Russian GP has switched from April to September, before the Japanese round; the Malaysian GP has dropped off the calendar after 19 years. The 2018 Le Mans 24 Hours was also approved for June 16/17 and as a result will not clash with the F1 calendar. The rest of the World Endurance Championship schedule is yet to be announced.
The FIA also inform that the races in China and Singapore are subject to commercial rights holder confirmation and its next World Motor Sport Council meeting, to be attended by 110 National Sporting Authorities, will take place in Paris on September 21 2017. F1’s former boss Bernie Ecclestone first mooted the idea of three consecutive grands prix in Asia last year, but it was feared the hectic schedule would place too much pressure on the sport’s teams. For the future Liberty Media also have plans to extend the calendar to 25 races, but double world champion Fernando Alonso said he would walk away from the sport if that happened.
2018 F1 Calendar:
25 March – Melbourne – Australia
08 April – Shanghai – China
15 April – Sakhir – Bahrain
29 April – Baku – Azerbaijan
13 May – Barcelona – Spain
27 May – Monaco – Monaco
10 June – Montreal – Canada
24 June – Paul Ricard – France
01 July – Red Bull Ring – Austria
08 July – Silverstone – Great Britain
22 July – Hockenheim – Germany
29 July – Budapest – Hungary
26 August – Spa-Francorchamps – Belgium
02 September – Monza – Italy
16 September – Singapore – Singapore
30 September – Sochi – Russia
07 October – Suzuka – Japan
21 October – Austin – USA
28 October – Mexico City – Mexico
11 November – Sao Paulo – Brazil
25 November – Yas Marina – Abu Dhabi
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