FIA ratifies 20-race 2011 F1 calendar

2011 F1 Calendar

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Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, Shanghai, 2010

The FIA has confirmed the 20-race F1 calendar for 2011.

Two races are listed on the calendar as being “subject to the homologation of the circuit”.

These are the new Indian Grand Prix circuit and, surprisingly, the Shanghai International Circuit, home of the Chinese Grand Prix, which has been on the calendar since 2004.

There are no changes to the calendar from the version announced in September.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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61 comments on “FIA ratifies 20-race 2011 F1 calendar”

  1. Any reason give as to why Shanghai’s place is “subject to the homologation of the circuit”?

    If the FIA is concerned with the track hopefully they’ll just play it safe and move the Chinese GP to Imola.

    1. The only word I can think of to describe that suggestion is Genius, maybe this could be the answer to our problems and from now on we could have the great tracks host races on behalf of other countries.
      Maybe the Bahrain GP @ Nurburgring and so on with the tracks being decorated according to who’s GP it is, the pit girls flown over and all that sort of thing to make it feel like you’re at Bahrain or wherever :-)

      1. They’d have to blow piles of sand at the drivers with gas powered leaf blowers to make it the authentic Bahrain experience.

        1. Because it’s rubbish.

    2. The circuit just need to be re-homologated and probably needs a small upgarde to its pit facilities.

  2. This WMSC press release from 8 Sept 2010 doesn’t say China is “subject to the homologation of the circuit”.

    http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2010/Pages/wmsc_080910.aspx

    [WMSC decision from 3 November – http://www.fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/pressreleases/wmsc/2010/Pages/wmsc_031110.aspx – for comparison ]

    1. Yep but the one sent out today does. I wonder why the change?

      1. Maybe they plan to change the layout?

        1. No, it’s just an upgarde to the facilities. There isn’t any way to change the layout becuase there is no space to do so.

      2. On the homepage under the archive section it still says ‘go in back time’ instead of ‘go back in time’

        1. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s just a mistake. Anyone remember when they left in Bernie’s “medals” scheme when confirming the 2010 rules about this time last year?

          1. I meant a mistake by the FIA, not by Keith [@matt90]

  3. last race in late november. I like it :)

  4. Mr.E hasn’t reached the contract extension with Chinese GP for the coming years. Rumor has it that Mr. E wants $30mil/year for extension of the GP contract. As Chinese GP fails to attract any major sponsor after the elected official who had supported the original GP contract was put in jail, there’s no (and there shouldn’t be any) way the Shanghai government bails the deal at all expenses.
    I am afraid there’s a fair possibility that China might be left out of the calendar next year… But we still have Tilke the great in South Korea and anywhere.

    1. Yay, one awful circuit down

      1. To be fair, moving the Chinese GP to April has given us 2 entertaining wet races. As long as the raise is in the rainy season (not sure if it actually is lol), I’m ok with Shanghai on the schedule.

  5. An F1 season spanning 37 weeks…fatigue imminent.

  6. Tickets for full 3 days @ Silverstone, new pit straight stand, bought and paid for!! :D

  7. Get rid of Shanghai. Simple :)

    1. Dude, have you seen the last to races there? It’s rainy season at that date, leave it till the next snore cruise.

      Anyway, China’s not a bad track, i’d change the first corner, an make the middle big a giant climb then drop but otherwise.

  8. Its nice that we’ll only have to wait 1 week after bore-celona for exquisite monaco :)

    1. Weal, both races are pretty boring when you come right down to it. This years “good” Monaco was just periods of circulation and saftey cars interspersed by crashes.

      Monaco is the most important race on the calender but it’s also raced under a massive elephant we all ignore.

      1. I suppose I have to disagree with you there.

        While monaco almost never hosts good battles for position on track, it is an amazing demonstration of Formula 1 car performance and a very punishing layout. I guess I tend to think of monaco as less of a race and more of an ‘exhibitional intermission’ to the F1 racing season, and in that capacity, I adore it. My $0.02 :)

        1. I’d have to agree with you there Hallard, I look forward to Monaco because I love seeing the drivers working and Monaco is one of the few places where they’re visibly working very hard.

          I know driving an F1 car is hard wherever they are but most other circuits don’t really show it whereas the close confines of the barriers at Monaco, the layout of the track and the closeness of the cameras makes it, for me at least, one of the most exciting races on the calendar even when there’s not that much overtaking going on. You can also feel the buzz of the crowd even when you’re hundreds or thousands of miles away watching at home and that’s something many other tracks sadly lack.

        2. Also have to agree, Hallard.

          Monaco has such an atmosphere, I wish I was there instead of watching it on TV. Can’t say the same about Bahrain, Instanbul, China or Malaysia.

          The cars look good as the drive around. Who could forget Kubica wringing his Renault around the circuit this year.

          As for the racing side of things, the unpredictability more than makes up for overtakes. Places like China are “technically” more prone to overtakes, but the races are boring. Monaco is special because at any moment, a driver could tap a barrier, be out of the race and cause a safety car.

          1. Hallard, beneboy and DavidS completely sum my thoughts on Monaco :D.

          2. Let’s move the Istambul track to Monaco then. Cuz it’s a great fine track in an awful location.

    2. Probably the closest two circuits on the calendar I think; unless Spa and the Nurburgring are closer. Makes sense to have them together.

      1. How about Barcelona and Valencia.

        1. Or Bahrain and Abu Dhabi

        2. Barcelona is not really that bad, it’s all the testing there that spoils the race.

          Valencia is truly awful though. And the stewards/race direction there this year has been the worst I’ve seen in 43 years watching F1.

  9. Shanghai isn’t that bad of a circuit, it’s just hopelessly empty, much like Turkey except the circuit is even better and even emptier.

    There’s minimal Chinese involvement in F1 all-around, so it wouldn’t be missed too much if it went. With India coming into play, I think when you think about what F1 is, it’s much more suited to a country like India than China anyway.
    If you compare the two which everyone seems to do these days.

    1. Thinking about how much money they had to spend though, it’s a colossal (in every sense) missed opportunity.

  10. I hope they will leave Brazil as last race. There were some version of 2010 calendar with Interlagos last, but later they changed it to what we have right now. Just leave Brazil where it is on this version of ’11 calendar, please.

    1. Yeah, Interlagos is a brilliant place for the final race, especially if the championship is up for grabs.

      I wouldn’t be surprised if Alonso somehow sealed it in Interlagos this year, just to make Abu Dhabi seem extra pointless.

      1. Yeah, even in 2005 and 2009 when Brazil wasn;t the last race, it still gave us the title result – as well as 2006, 2007 and 2008.

        Could be a good sign for Alonso this weekend.

    2. “I hope they will leave Brazil as last race” so do I, but I think the reason to it being last again on the provisional calendar is for Abu Dhabi to pay Mr E more money to be the last GP, just like this year.

      1. You start with Australia & ends with Brazil that should be the plan with the FOM & FIA.

  11. What a great way to cut costs…..although, I can’t say I’m opposed to more races.

    Keith, do we know or can we speculate what will happen with the addition of the US Grand Prix in 2012?

    21 races?
    No Turkish GP?

    Any ideas

    1. Yeah, I’m really curious where they plan to stick Austin on the calendar. If they try and pair it with Montreal that could make for a ridiculously hot race. It would make more sense to place it in one of the flyaway seasons at either end of the calendar.

      1. My suspicion is that the eventual plan is to have two races in the US, one in the north that can be paired with Montreal (as Indianapolis was), and one in the south that can be put in the final flyaway leg (maybe immediately before Brazil?)

        1. Yea, that sounds good to me…

          They have to be careful with the Texas weather too. If they plan it during the wrong season the storms can be some of the worst. tons of lightning, rain, even tornadoes….hopefully this is part of their list of priorities.

          1. Tornadoes may affect car performance…

      2. Turkey is currently positioned before Canada, so it’s most likely to be dropped if and when Austin is ready.

        1. To have US Grand Prix in 2012 they will cut one of the traditional race from the calender which I think mean put an axe on one of the European race.

    2. Keith, do we know or can we speculate what will happen with the addition of the US Grand Prix in 2012?

      21 races?
      No Turkish GP?

      There’s talk that a Bulgarian Grand Prix will be joining the calendar in 2012, and that the contract will state the Bulgarians get exclusive rights to host Formula 1’s only race in Eastern Europe (Russia doesn’t count). To that end, Turkey and Hungary would be dropped; Bulgaria would take Turkey’s vacancy, leaving the Hungarian slot available for Austin.

  12. According to Alan Baldwin on Twitter:

    FIA says Chinese GP has an asterisk next to it because homologation licence has expired and track needs work on drainage and surface.

    1. And I’ve just received the same from the FIA via email:

      The homologation licence for the Shanghai International Circuit has expired and before a new licence can be issued by the FIA some work on the track is required, with particular regards to the current drainage system and the quality of the track surface.

      1. I thought the track surface is better then Korean this year!

        1. The difference between China and Korea is that the Korean circuit had all the oils and asphalt chemicals on its surface. They hadn’t had a chance to be washed away by the rain. The 2011 Korean Grand Prix will have amuch better surface.

  13. Bernie does business in a certain way the last 7-8 years or so. If it’s economically viable in some way to go to Shanghai in 2011, Bernie will renew the deal. If it’s not there are some other solutions…. remember Turkey 2007 ? The same story happend for Instabul Park, but they made a deal until 2021! How ? Bernie took control of the management rights for the Istanbul Park circuit! In my opinion this is something very possible to happend again. Bernie always find the best solution for FOM !

  14. For your consideration

  15. It rains a lot for the Chinese Grand Prix, which seems reason enough in itself to keep it.

    1. The main complain has been of poor drainage system.So I don’t think rain will help until they improve the drainage system.

      1. Gave us a good race this year, anyway.

  16. José Baudaier
    4th November 2010, 0:08

    Will the maximum engine number change too?

    1. So far there hasn’t been any decision but I think they will stay with 8 per season.

  17. Nice calender.it’s interesting to see that the races will start mid March & will finish at the end of November which I don’t think happened before.There are two sets of long holiday for the fans one is between Hungary & Belgium which I understand is the “summer break ” but why is there a gap of 3 weeks between China & Turkey?

    1. It is common to provide 3wks gap after first flyaway races and as competition enters europe. During this period teams evaluate the performance & consolidate the areas they need to improve & work on. Moreover provide some much needed rest to crew.

  18. reddevilandy10
    4th November 2010, 14:46

    With Russia, USA, Bulgaria, India and possibly South Africa to come too… that’s gonna be a very congested calendar. But hey, I’m not complaining at all!!

    I think Africa deserves a Grand Prix to be honest.

    1. I’d go with South Africa’s Kyalami track making a comeback. They can get rid of the boring tracks like Valencia and Bahrain, and bring in Ceaser’s palace or Detroit. I also believe new track designers are needed to create circuits with character like Spa or Montreal, because the current people just create dull circuits that make for poor racing.

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