The 2014 season schedule revealed
The FIA unveiled today the first version of the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship calendar. Three key points to note: the number of events, 22, two new Grand Prix and two highly anticipated returns.
The return of Mexico and Austria, which were already part of the F1 calendar in the 80s and 90s, was highly anticipated. The Mexican GP should take place on the Hermanos Rodriguez track, famous for its Peraltada (a parabolic curve with slight banking) where Senna had a serious crash in 1991. The Austrian race will take place at the Red Bull Ring, formerly known as the A1 Ring, which has recently been refurbished by its new owner, Red Bull.
The entirely new additions are Russia, on the Sochi track, and the GP of the Americas in New Jersey. These two events, along with Mexico and Korea, remain provisional, as the work is still underway and the projects are not yet fully finalized in terms of budgets, particularly for the Korean round.
Bye bye India
India is the only GP to disappear from the 2014 calendar compared to 2013. The Indian GP, held at the much-appreciated Buddh International Circuit, is taking a break for next year, with a hopeful return in 2015.
The other changes concern the order of the calendar. While the Australian round in Melbourne will traditionally open the season on March 16 and Brazil will close it on November 30, it is noted that Korea moves to the beginning of the season (April 27) after the Chinese round. The main concern for the teams during the initial drafts was the Monaco-New Jersey-Montreal triptych. The dates have not changed (Monaco will be held on May 25, New Jersey a week later, and Canada another week after that), and a real logistical headache is looming for the teams during this period.
Russia will take place between Singapore and Japan on the weekend of October 5, and the GP of the Americas and that of Mexico have been reversed compared to the first unofficial versions of the calendar.
In total, there will be 22 races to compete, making it the longest season in the history of the F1 World Championship.
2014 Formula 1 Season Calendar
| Date | Grand Prix | |
| 1 | 16 March | Australia – Melbourne Albert Park |
| 2 | 30 March | Malaysia – Sepang |
| 3 | 6 April | Bahrain – Sakhir |
| 4 | 20 April | China – Shanghai |
| 5 | 27 April | South Korea – Yeongam * |
| 6 | 11 May | Spain – Barcelona-Catalunya |
| 7 | 25 May | Monaco – Monaco |
| 8 | 1 June | America – New Jersey * |
| 9 | 8 June | Canada – Montreal Gilles Villeneuve |
| 10 | 22 June | Austria – Red Bull Ring |
| 11 | 6 July | Great Britain – Silverstone |
| 12 | 20 July | Germany – Hockenheim |
| 13 | 27 July | Hungary – Budapest Hungaroring |
| 14 | 24 August | Belgium – Spa-Francorchamps |
| 15 | 7 September | Italy – Monza |
| 16 | 21 September | Singapore – Marina Bay |
| 17 | 5 October | Russia – Sochi * |
| 18 | 12 October | Japan – Suzuka |
| 19 | 26 October | Abu Dhabi – Yas Marina |
| 20 | 9 November | United States – Austin Circuit of the Americas |
| 21 | 16 November | Mexico – Mexico City Hermanos Rodriguez * |
| 22 | 30 November | Brazil – Interlagos |
*: Races still to be confirmed
