At the World Motorsport Council meeting today in Doha, the FIA has announced details of a 21-race F1 calendar for 2015.
Other changes to the early season fly-away races see Bahrain and China swap their places on the calendar. The Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai has moved ahead by one week to become the third race of the season on April 12 and the Bahrain race has been moved back by two weeks to become the fourth race of the season on April 19.
The Korean Grand Prix at Yeongam has been reinstated as the fifth race of the season on May 3, though it is listed as ‘TBC’ by the FIA and many F1 pundits are already pointing out very valid reasons why the Korean race is unlikely to take place in 2015.
These include the fact that the teams won’t accept the addition of an extra race to a calendar which is already being extended from 19 to 20 in 2015 by the return of the Mexican Grand Prix. The logistics of today’s calendar also look highly inefficient and would involve the teams flying from China to Bahrain on back-to-back weekends, then returning to Korea two weeks later, before flying back to Spain the following week to kick-off the European season!
Updated 2015 F1 Calendar
- March 15: Australia (Albert Park, Melbourne)
- March 29: Malaysia (Sepang, Kuala Lumpur)
- April 12: China (Shanghai)
- April 19: Bahrain (Sakhir)
- May 3: South Korea (Yeongam) TBC
- May 10: Spain (Catalunya, Barcelona)
- May 24: Monaco (Monte Carlo)
- June 7: Canada (Montreal)
- June 21: Austria (Red Bull Ring)
- July 5: Great Britain (Silverstone)
- July 19: Germany (Nurburgring)
- July 26: Hungary (Hungaroring, Budapest)
- August 23: Belgium (Spa Francorchamps)
- September 6: Italy (Monza)
- September 20: Singapore (Marina Bay)
- September 27: Japan (Suzuka)
- October 11: Russia (Sochi)
- October 25: USA, Austin (COTA)
- November 1: Mexico (Mexico City)
- November 15: Brazil (Interlagos, Sao Paulo)
- November 29: Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
