TNN/DPA
Doha
A record 24-race calendar has been confirmed by Formula 1’s governing body for the 2023 season.
The F1 Grand Prix will return to Qatar after a year’s absence at the Losail International Circuit on October 8, 2023.
Motorsports ruling body FIA approved on Tuesday the 2023 Formula One calendar with record-breaking 24 races.
A new race in Las Vegas and the return China makes next year the longest ever season despite the loss of the French Grand Prix.
The season begins in Bahrain on 5 March and ends in Abu Dhabi on 26 November.
Las Vegas will be the penultimate event on 18 November, while China has been given a 16 April date after a three-year absence due to the Covid pandemic.
Monaco and Belgium have retained their places after securing new contracts - Monaco’s until 2025, F1 announced on Tuesday; Belgium’s only for one year.
The Bahrain Grand Prix will kick-off the season on March 5, while the traditional Monaco Grand Prix remains in the calendar after rumours it would be excluded.
The season will end as per tradition in the past few years at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on November 26.
New additions include the return of China to the calendar and the brand new Las Vegas Grand Prix, which joins Miami and Austin as the third race in the United States.
The Qatar Grand Prix, which made its debut in 2021, returns after a one-year absence.
The first triple header of the season, meaning three races in three consecutive weeks, will take place in Italy, Monaco and Spain on May 21, May 28 and June 4 respectively.
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium will host the last race before the summer break on July 30, with the post-holidays return set to take place in the Netherlands on August 27.
“The presence of 24 races on the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar is further evidence of the growth and appeal of the sport on a global scale,” FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.
