The 2008 F1 Calendar

[iceman1]

Bahrain to open the 2008 season
The Bahrain Grand Prix will host the opening round of the 2008 Formula One World Championship, moving the Australian GP to the second round.

The Australian Grand Prix Corporation announced on Monday that the March 13-16 Albert Park event would be the second race on the calendar and would drop back to a 3:30 pm local time start (5:30 am GMT) to cater for European television audiences.

Bahrain held the first race of the season in 2006, gaining record TV viewership.

Melbourne was touted to hold next year's race at night, however organisers said the race will continue to run in daylight.

"Taking all factors into account, this is the best option for our event and the people who support it," Australian Grand Prix Corporation (AGPC) chairman Ron Walker said.

"Our investigations (on whether or not to hold a night race) have convinced us that as things currently stand, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

"Going later (with the race start time) will benefit fans at Albert Park, who will enjoy an even bigger day of entertainment, and people watching the race live in other parts of the world - especially Europe, where fans will be able to get up closer to breakfast time."

Additional changes for next year's event include the return of the popular V8 Supercar support race to Albert Park for the Grand Prix weekend.

"I'm also delighted that the V8 Supercars are back," Walker said. "This is a great win for everyone and especially motorsport fans.

"The combination of the world's most popular race cars in Formula One and the V8s - Australia's number one national category - is unique to Albert Park."

Good News For Me ,we don't have to get up to early


It was announced today that Melbourne will be round 2 in 2008 and the race will start 90 minutes later than usual at 3:30pm local time. If they ran F1 in the morning then the once a year people will leave and be home for the family dinner with relo's and the motorsport followers here can take in more racing. I think Aus have lost F1 at the end of this contract



Who will be OFF the calendar?
- Nurburgring (100% sure)
- Magny-Cours
- Indianapolis (100% sure)

Who will be ON the calendar? (newcomers)
- Singapore
- Valencia
- Hockenheim

Possible returns for 2008?
- Imola
- Suzuka

Good news for some of us
and maybe for the F1 itself, as Valencia joins the F1 calendar next year, with a street circuit layout, adding to the existing Monaco GP

[Super Aguri]

Magny-Cours could still make a comeback as was discussed with Bernie on the ITV gridwalk.

The Valencia GP in my opinion will be rubbish so that is a spot on the calendar wasted but good for the Spanish F1 fans.

[iceman1]

grandprix.com are reporting that the provisional astrix for Montreal as, "pending a financial structure that can cope with having to pay the freight costs of F1, previously split with Indianapolis."
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19457.html

[ntr]

french gp at magny cours is back!

The French Grand Prix will keep its place on the Formula 1 calendar next year, while Australia will retain its traditional role as the season-opener.

http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=40193

[outsidr]

We in the U.S. desperately need an F1 race somewhere here. The majority of Americans don't know what F1 is or even that it exists. I work with people who only know and love Nascar. Nascar is better than no racing at all, but it's no F1. Please Bernie! Have mercy on us! Come back!!!

[jana7i]

oooh no, it didnt happen


i knew it was to good to be true, i was just about to get ready. the best race we had in bahrain was in 2006 when it was the season opener, the weather was nice.


2008 Formula One calendar

Mar 16 Australia (Melbourne)
Mar 23 Malaysia (Sepang)
Apr 6 Bahrain (Sakhir)
Apr 27 Spain (Barcelona)
May 11 Turkey (Istanbul)
May 25 Monaco (Monte Carlo)
Jun 8 Canada* (Montreal)
Jun 22 France (Magny Cours)
Jul 6 Britain (Silverstone)
Jul 20 Germany (Hockenheim)
Aug 3 Hungary (Hungaroring)
Aug 24 Europe (Valencia)**
Sep 7 Italy (Monza)
Sep 14 Belgium (Spa Francorchamps)
Sep 28 Singapore**
Oct 12 China (Shanghai)
Oct 19 Japan (Fuji)
Nov 2 Brazil (Interlagos)

* Provisional
** subject to circuit approval

[ntr]

We in the U.S. desperately need an F1 race somewhere here. The majority of Americans don't know what F1 is or even that it exists. I work with people who only know and love Nascar. Nascar is better than no racing at all, but it's no F1. Please Bernie! Have mercy on us! Come back!!!

true, lewis hamilton's success seemed to have sparked an interest for f1 in america (well that's how itv put it) and now they take it away, although i think they should race at a track other than indy, indy does not seem to suit f1 racing (i don't think so anyway), laguna seca looks nice though

[outsidr]

I agree. Laguna Seca or a street circuit would be nice. Oh well....maybe 2009.

[musashi_sw]

i just don't understand why next year will have 2 races in spain and not imola!

[maltafan]

i just don't understand why next year will have 2 races in spain and not imola!

cause the European GP, which was to date held at Hockenheim, will be held in Valencia. Nurburgring and Hockenheim will be alternating the German GP.

[AndyPerry]

I think Laguna Seca is far too narrow for F1, plus the Corkscrew means the car has to be set up very very high...Can't see LS in a F1 calendar ever. However, I would just looove Watkins Glen to be a F1 venue again !cool!!!!

Valencia GP should be good in my opinion!! I like the track layout and it runs in the city !grin! I think Valencia and Singapore should be great to watch!

[Dark_Fisico]

i just don't understand why next year will have 2 races in spain and not imola!

Imola can come back at any time... It had the same problem as Belgium last season, it isn't up to date enough, the reason we had so many big gaps at the beginning of the season is because Bernie said if they could get up to date in time he'd stick them in one of the gaps but they didn't... So Imola will be back when they up date their facilities...

[ForzaRobin]

I'm gonna' try and get to singapore for the race, I reckon it will be immense !

I'm just wondering though, will qualifying and practises be in the dark too? or will there be extra sessions for night to let the drivers get used to the lack of light?

[WDC]

wow, so no american grand prix?

im glad the aussie gp is the opener... for obvious reasons but also because it feels better when australia opens the season, its been like that every year since 96 with exception for te waste of time games that we hosted in 2006.
melbourne is a nice relaxing environment to begin the F1 season!

[iceman1]

I think it's sad that the USGP has been removed, but I understand why
i wonder why Turkey is so early in the schedule i really thought San Marino would be there, quite disappointed by that, still it is not carved in stone yet. plenty of time for Bernie to squeeze some more money out of someone.