While the current season of the FIA Formula One World Championship is just about to hit the half way mark, fans can start preparing for the next season from right now. The calendar for the 2018 F1 Championship has been announced and will comprise 21 Grand Prix, equaling the greatest number of races in year, established in 2016. The 2018 calendar was approved during a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Geneva in Switzerland, earlier this month. While the calendar looks interesting, there are two important new dates added, which welcome the France and German GP back to the calendar.
The Formula 1 Grosser Preis von Deutschland and F1 Grand Prix de France make a comeback after a decade on the calendar. The management announced the next season's calendar early, so that all our stakeholders have more time to prepare, it said in a statement.
Speaking about the 2018 calendar, F1's new Chairman and CEO - Chase Carey said, "We are proud to confirm that the German and French Grands Prix will take place in 2018. France was one of the seven races that made up the first ever World Championship in 1950 and it now returns after a decade. It will be held at the Paul Ricard circuit, which last hosted a round of the F1 Championship in 1990."
The 2018 F1 season will kick start on 25th March in Melbourne, Australia
The number of races has increased by one compared to the current season. Carey said that the management received numerous requests from those wishing to host a F1 Grand Prix. But the federation wanted its existing promoters to feel that each race is a special event.
FIA President, Jean Todt commented: "Alongside our partners in Formula 1 and across the FIA's major championships we have been working hard in recent months to achieve greater harmony among the various sporting calendars and reaching an early agreement on the 2018 Formula 1 schedule is part of this ongoing process."
The 2018 F1 season will kick start as usual on 25th March in Melbourne, Australia. Meanwhile the last race will be held at the Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi on 25th November 2018. The next season will have 11 of the 21 races taking place in Europe, five in Asia, four in the Americas and one in Australia. More races mean the schedule will be a lot more intensive for the teams, while the winter and summer breaks are expected to be more or less the same.
While there are two new additions, the Chinese and Singapore GP are still in doubt for 2018. The Chinese GP will be held on 8th April 2018, while the Singapore GP is scheduled for 16th September 2018. Both venues are yet to complete its respective commercial deals on new contracts with the F1 Group.
This season's next F1 race is scheduled for coming weekend in Azerbaijan.
1. 25th March: Australia (Melbourne)
2. 8th April: China* (Shanghai)
3. 15th April: Bahrain (Sakhir)
4. 29th April: Azerbaijan (Baku)
5. 13th May: Spain (Barcelona)
6. 27th May: Monaco
7. 10th June: Canada (Montreal)
8. 24th June: France (Le Castellet)
9. 1st July: Austria (Spielberg)
10. 8th July: Great Britain (Silverstone)
11. 22nd July: Germany (Hockenheim)
12. 29th July: Hungary (Budapest)
13. 26th August: Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)
14. 2nd September: Italy (Monza)
15. 16th September: Singapore*
16. 30th September: Russia (Sochi)
17. 7th October: Japan (Suzuka)
18. 21th October: USA (Austin, Texas)
19. 28th October: Mexico (Mexico City)
20. 11th November: Brazil (Sao Paulo)
21. 25 November: Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
*Provisional on the calendar
