The official FIA Formula 1 calendar for 2009

According to the official FIA website, the 2009 Formula 1 calendar has been unveiled. There were doubts since a few weeks ago the French Grand Prix withdrew from the race for financial reasons, while the Canadian Grand Prix was hoping to be reinstated.

For the latter, this is not the case. The Montreal race is not on the list of Grand Prix events scheduled for 2009. Therefore, the North American continent will have to do without F1, a first in several decades.

As for the Grand Prix de France, the FFSA (French Federation of Motor Sport) admits it wants to focus more on 2010, with likely an event where Mickey will be the star.

These are therefore two races in June that are disappearing. The calendar had to be revised compared to the provisional one known for a few weeks.

The 2009 season will start two weeks later at the end of March, still with the Australian Grand Prix followed by the Malaysian Grand Prix. These two races will be delayed for starts at 5 p.m. local time to allow European viewers to sleep a little longer!

The change of the year comes with the Chinese race being moved to the beginning of the season between Sepang and Bahrain. As a result, the drivers will have to be at the top of their form since the first four races will take place over five weeks!

The Turkish Grand Prix is therefore scheduled for early June to fill the gap, and the German race will be held at the Nurburgring as opposed to 2008 (a rotation system having been established between Hockenheim and the Nurburgring). The world of F1 will come to a halt for four weeks between July 26, the date of the Hungarian Grand Prix, and August 23 for the European Grand Prix, still in Valencia.

The Singapore Grand Prix will still be held at night with a start at 8 PM local time, while the Japanese race will begin at 3 PM local time. Finally announced as an event, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will close the season on November 1st.

Here is the complete schedule for the 2009 season:

March 29 – Australian Grand Prix

April 5 – Malaysian Grand Prix

April 19 – Chinese Grand Prix

April 26 – Bahrain Grand Prix

May 10, Spanish Grand Prix

May 24 – Monaco Grand Prix

June 7 – Turkish Grand Prix

June 21 – British Grand Prix

July 12 – German Grand Prix

July 26 – Hungarian Grand Prix

August 23 – European Grand Prix (Valencia)

August 30 – Belgian Grand Prix

September 13 – Italian Grand Prix

September 27 – Singapore Grand Prix

October 4 – Japanese Grand Prix

October 18 – Brazilian Grand Prix

November 1 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix