Formula 1 governing body, the FIA, has approved a revised calendar for the 2018 season at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Switzerland.
Next year is set to see a 21-race schedule, matching 2016’s record number, as France returns after a 10-year absence at Circuit Paul Ricard and Hockenheim hosts the now bi-annual German Grand Prix, due to the financial strife at the Nurburgring.
Malaysia is the only race that will not continue, with organisers agreeing to end their contract a year early, but there are several other notable changes to the season that will kick off in Melbourne, Australia on March 25th.
This weekend’s race in Azerbaijan will take over Sochi’s place in the early season flyaways, taking place on the final Sunday of April, with the Russian race moving back to the time of year of the inaugural race in 2014, filling the spot left by Sepang at the end of September.
The French Grand Prix will be a year from Saturday on June 24th and will begin a triple header of races with the Austrian and British rounds taking place on the following two weekends before a two-week separates a double-header going into the summer break with Germany on July 22 and Hungary on July 29.
The season will eventually come to an end on November 25th with the finale at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit.
“We wanted to finalise next season’s calendar early so that all our stakeholders would have more time to prepare and we have managed it, thanks in part through working closely with the FIA,” CEO Chase Carey told the official F1 website.
“We are proud to confirm that the German and French Grands Prix will take place in 2018. France was one of the seven races that made up the first-ever world championship in 1950 and it now returns after a decade. It will be held at the Paul Ricard circuit, which last hosted a round of the F1 Championship in 1990.
“The number of races has increased by one compared to the current season. We received numerous requests from those wishing to host an F1 Grand Prix but we wanted the existing promoters to feel that we are putting all our efforts into ensuring that each race is a special event, so that the fans, our most important stakeholders, can enjoy a unique and unforgettable experience. If we can do that, then the entire Formula 1 family will reap the benefit.”
2018 F1 calendar in full:
March 25 Australian GP, Albert Park
April 8 Chinese GP, Shanghai
April 15 Bahrain GP, Sakhir
April 29 Azerbaijan GP, Baku City Circuit
May 13 Spanish GP, Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
May 27 Monaco GP, Monte Carlo
June 10 Canadian GP, Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
June 24 French GP, Circuit Paul Ricard
July 1 Austrian GP, Red Bull Ring
July 8 British GP, Silverstone
July 22 German GP, Hockenheim
July 29 Hungarian GP, Hungaroring
August 26 Belgian GP, Spa-Francorchamps
September 2 Italian GP, Monza
September 16 Singapore GP, Marina Bay
September 30 Russian GP, Sochi Autodrom
October 7 Japanese GP, Suzuka
October 21 United States GP, Circuit of the Americas
October 28 Mexican GP, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
November 11 Brazilian GP, Interlagos
November 25 Abu Dhabi GP, Yas Marina Circuit