2008 Formula 1 Calendar

The start of the new Formula 1 World Championship season is rapidly closing in. Now with less then a month to go until the 'lights go out' at Melbourne (Australia), the F1 teams participating in this year's saga are gearing up to battle it out in the highest octane motor racing sport on the planet. The following is the complete venue calendar for the 2008 season:

Mar 16 - Melbourne, Australia
Mar 23 - Sepang, Malaysia
Apr 6 - Sakhir, Bahrain
Apr 27 - Barcelona, Spain
May 11 - Istanbul Park, Turkey
May 25 - Monte Carlo, Monaco
June 8 - Montreal, Canada
June 22 - Magny-Cours, France
July 6 - Silverstone, Great Britain
July 20 - Hockenheim, Germany
Aug 3 - Hungaroring, Hungary
Aug 24 - Valencia, Europe
Sep 7 - Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
Sep 14 - Monza, Italy
Sep 28 - Singapore* - more information to follow
Oct 12 - Fuji, Japan
Oct 19 - Shanghai, China
Nov 2 - Interlagos, Brazil

* night race

Traditionally, races have been almost exclusively held in Europe, Australia and North America. As of late, however, there has been a shift - creating events in emerging, lucrative markets. Some of these markets mind you, are beyond 'emerging/developing' and can hold there one - evident by the races in Bahrain and Singapore. In 2009, Abu Dhabi will have its own venue and by 2010, there will be a race in India. Dubai is apparently already in the works of creating not only just a race track and the required facilities, but an entire city focused around racing and tourism! This will include a plethora of hotels, many shopping centers, racing museums and other niceties we Earth dwelling creatures have grown to love.

One will also notice, there is no longer a Grand Prix (race) held in the U.S. This will be there first year in many (and I suspect of several) that the F1 tour will not make its way to the shores of America. Political in-fighting, lack of marketing for the event, track fees - countries ante-up upwards of $50 mil (US) a year just to be given the rights to get on the calendar - and TV time all added to the elimination of an American based event.

The fact of the matter is, Formula 1 comes down to money. Growing markets are accepting F1 with open arms and rightfully so; they should be able to enjoy a race first hand and the tourism that inevitably comes with it. They are able to afford the large payments that are given to the CEO of FOM (Formula One Management), Bernie Ecclestone. The U.S. has a niche F1 viewer base - the majority of viewer ship comes from Europe and now developing countries will (are) getting hooked by the masses. Time will tell as to whether the F1 calendar will soon again read a USGP (United States Grand Prix).