South Korea To Make GP Debut
As one of the many changes in next year’s F1 schedule, South Korea will host its first grand prix, with Bahrain being the opener for the season.
The sSuth Korean event, which will be held in Yeongam in the south-west of the country, was listed on the 19-race calendar for the season that has just been released.
Scheduled for 17 October, South Korea will be home to the third to last race, with Abu Dhabi on 31 October and the climax in Brazil on 14 November.
The Canadian Grand Prix has returned after a one year’s absence, but is listed as provisional pending the completion of contract negotiations.
The British Grand Prix has an 11 July date, with F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone reaffirming that it will stay at Silverstone if Donington cannot fulfil its obligations on time.
Bahrain has snagged Australia’s spot as the season’s opening race, and Valencia’s date has been pushed up to avoid the hot Spanish summer.
The additions of South Korea and the bump up of Bahrain as the season premier seem to signal a change in focus for the sport, as it looks to host in cities that can provide more sponsorship opportunities and garner additional support for F1.
