Full Throttle

The World Motor Sport Council met in Paris in order to review several matters, including a reform of the procedures stewards will follow starting with next year’s races. The WMSC confirmed the use of three-race engines as well.

Additionally, the 2009 Formula One calendar has been partly revised.

The Chinese Grand Prix will now take place in April instead of October, meaning that the F1 world will compete on the Shanghai circuit only six months to the day after this year’s race.

Bahrain has been pushed back one week while Japan heads in the other direction and moves up one week. Brazil sees its race rescheduled two weeks earlier, from early November to mid-October.

The length of the 2009 season has been shortened as well, since the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will close the season on November 1st instead of the 15th.

The Canadian Grand Prix still does not appear on the revised calendar pending a solution with FOM.
The French GP has been removed following the promoters’ forfeit of next year’s event for financial reasons.

2009 FIA Formula One World Championship

29 March Australia
5 April Malaysia
19 April China
26 April Bahrain
10 May Spain
24 May Monaco
7 June Turkey
21 June Great Britain
12 July Germany
26 July Hungary
23 August Europe (Valencia)
30 August Belgium
13 September Italy
27 September Singapore
4 October Japan
18 October Brazil
1 November Abu Dhabi