F12008: Circuits & Calendar

F12008: Circuits & Calendar

F12008: Circuits & Calendar Preview

The teams are set up in the Albert Park pitlane, the cars are ready and the anticipation has hit fever-point. With just one day to go before we see all the cars together in competition, the final preview post for 2008 is here: Circuits and Calendar. The 2008 season will see the Formula One circus travel to eighteen races located in seventeen countries and five continents. Approximately 28 tons of equipment (per team) is shipped a massive 100,000 miles to each venue. Here is where the teams and drivers will be travelling to this season…

Grand Prix Circuit Date Laps
1. Australia Albert Park March 16th 58 Laps
2. Malaysia Sepang March 23rd 56 Laps
3. Bahrain Sakhir April 6th 57 Laps
4. Spain Circuit de Catalunya April 27th 66 Laps
5. Turkey Istanbul Park May 11th 58 Laps
6. Monaco Monte Carlo May 25th 78 Laps
7. Canada Circuit Gilles Villeneuve June 8th 70 Laps
8. France Magny Cours June 22nd 70 Laps
9. Britain Silverstone July 6th 60 Laps
10. Germany Hockenheim July 20th 67 Laps
11. Hungary Hungaroring August 3rd 70 Laps
12. Europe Valencia, Spain 24 August 57 Laps
13. Belgium Spa Francorchamps September 7th 44 Laps
14. Italy Monza September 14th 53 Laps
15. Singapore Singapore September 28th 61 Laps
16. Japan Fuji Speedway October 12th 67 Laps
17. China Shanghai October 19th 56 Laps
18. Brazil Interlagos November 2nd 71 Laps

For a further breakdown of the circuits with additional information, please visit the calendar page.

The 2008 championship sees two new circuits added; Valencia and Singapore. Both are street circuits, much like Monaco, and the SIngapore event is to be the first night race in the history of Formula One. The FIA have done some testing, using the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in America last year to run a safety car around under their lighting system. It will be very interesting to see how the race goes, and more importantly from Bernie Ecclestone’s point of view, how many people watch it in Europe.

The season extends in to November this year, something I cannot remember happening in my memory of the sport. But the added breaks during the year will provide a welcome pause to the action, and of course helps to reduce the drag of the off-season. It is also good to see that the ridiculous break that happened after the third race in 2007 has been sorted, so the season-start should have a better rhythm as the circus returns to Europe.

4 comments

  • I think this is the most exciting start to a F1 season in many a year. Not only do we have two new street circuits (that are ALWAYS better, more watchable races) but we have the intruiging scenario of Hamilton’s second season and the emergence of the likes of Piquet jnr and how he’ll cope with Alonso etc etc. I can’t wait!

  • This is by far the best season to come and personally i cant wait for the night race in singapore but the only problem is what if they have a power cut surley this might be taking a wrong step into f1. A lot of other sports play at night and i do not see the reason why we should not have a go and to see what this will be really like.

  • only problem is what if they have a power cut

    Apparently they have multiple contingency plans and back-up systems. According to the organisers it would take a phenomenal amount of coincidences for all to fail. Which, knowing Formula One, will probably happen now. 😉

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