The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is set to kick off the 2010 Formula One World Championship, and race organisers promise a grand spectacle as the pinnacle of motorsport celebrates its 60th year.
“Formula One is now the biggest and most watched global sport there is, and to start it in Bahrain puts huge attention on the kingdom and presents the country countless opportunities,” an elated Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) chief executive Martin Whitaker said upon hearing the news.
“Next year will also be Formula One’s 60th anniversary, and the same with Gulf Air. We will be pulling out all the stops for Bahrain’s event and are looking forward to an unbelievable weekend of sport and entertainment.”
World motorsport’s governing body, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), yesterday released the official 19-round calendar that makes up the 2010 F1 season. Bahrain’s race will take place on March 14.
Hosting the season opener gives the kingdom’s F1 fans the unique privilege of being the first in the world to watch live in action their returning favourites such as Ferrari, McLaren, Brawn and Red Bull alongside new F1 teams such as Manor, Campos, USF1 and Lotus.
“This is absolutely great for Bahrain,” Whitaker continued. “In whatever calendar you look at until March of next year, we will be on the top and people all over the world will remember that. Gulf Daily News
It is the first time since 2005 there will be 19 races, albeit with the June 13 event in Canada provisional subject to the completion of contract negotiations with Bernie Ecclestone’s Formula One Management. Should a deal fail to be agreed, the Turkish Grand Prix will be moved to June 6 from its present slot of May 30.
The most significant change sees the introduction of South Korea on October 17 in the wake of the state government and opposition party last week passing the ‘F1 Act’ in support of the construction and management of the circuit in Yongam, South Jeolla province. The Press Association
After missing out on staging a grand prix in 2009, Canada will return to the circuit in 2010 with a June 13 date if agreement could be reached with Formula One Management which holds the sport’s commercial rights.
If that is not completed then the Turkish Grand Prix will be moved back one week to the June 6 slot.
South Korea is spending millions of dollars on a track in Yeongam county and officials are confident the Korean Grand Prix, set for October 17, will quickly make its mark. CNN International
The British Grand Prix has an 11 July date. F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has said that the British event will stay at Silverstone if Donington cannot fulfil its obligations.
Bahrain has replaced the Australian Grand Prix as the season opener because Ecclestone wants to run the Melbourne event, which is slated for 28 March, at a time as friendly to European television audiences as possible.
There are several other tweaks to the calendar from this year.
The European Grand Prix at Valencia moves from this year’s August date to 27 June in an attempt to avoid the high temperatures in Spain in late summer.
The German Grand Prix is listed as being at Hockenheim, but there remain doubts over its finances. BBC Sport
The full 2010 schedule is as follows:
2010 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar
14 March - Bahrain
28 March - Australia
4 April - Malaysia
18 April - China
9 May - Spain
23 May - Monaco
30 May - Turkey
13 June - Canada*
27 June - Europe (Valencia)
11 July - Great Britain
25 July - Germany
1 August - Hungary
29 August - Belgium
12 September - Italy
26 September - Singapore
3 October - Japan
17 October - Korea
31 October - Abu Dhabi
14 November - Brazil Formula 1
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