Sport
Formula One: First Grand Prix to be held in Bahrain in 2010
Manama, 22 Sept. (AKI) - The Grand Prix of Bahrain will be held in March, the first event in the 2010 Formula One World Championship, Bahraini media said on Tuesday. "Formula One is now the biggest and most watched global sport there is, and Bahrain puts huge attention on the kingdom and presents the country countless opportunities," said the Bahrain International Circuit chief executive Martin Whitaker in an interview with Bahrain's Gulf News Daily.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has just released the official 19-round calendar for the 2010 F1 season.
After the Bahrain event, Formula One will stage most of its races in Europe and Asia, including Turkey, and then return to the Gulf with a 31 October 2010 race in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The Bahrain GP has replaced the Australian Grand Prix as the season's opener, the FIA said in a statement. The Australian race will follow on March 28.
If FIA and the Canadian organisers fail to reach a deal, the Turkish Grand Prix, which is scheduled for May 30, will be moved to June 6.
The Canadian Grand Prix is scheduled for June 13.
The 2010 Championship will see the addition of the Korean Grand Prix and the return of Canada, subject to the completion of contract negotiations with Formula One management, a statement on the FIA's website said.
Formula One has been marred by controversy this year, as eight disgruntled 'rebel' teams - among them Ferrari, BMW-Sauber, McLaren and others - vowed to organise a breakaway series.
The dispute was linked to controversial plans by the FIA to impose budget caps and technical limitations on teams in 2010 in a bid to make the competition more balanced and to make it easier for smaller teams to compete.
On Monday, Renault's F1 team was given a two-year suspended ban from Formula One for its role in fixing last year's Singapore Grand Prix.
The team was summoned before the sport's governing body, the FIA, to answer charges that team members had asked driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash his vehicle, to enable teammate Fernando Alonso to win the race.
Renault's team boss Flavio Briatore was banned from FIA events for life.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has just released the official 19-round calendar for the 2010 F1 season.
After the Bahrain event, Formula One will stage most of its races in Europe and Asia, including Turkey, and then return to the Gulf with a 31 October 2010 race in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The Bahrain GP has replaced the Australian Grand Prix as the season's opener, the FIA said in a statement. The Australian race will follow on March 28.
If FIA and the Canadian organisers fail to reach a deal, the Turkish Grand Prix, which is scheduled for May 30, will be moved to June 6.
The Canadian Grand Prix is scheduled for June 13.
The 2010 Championship will see the addition of the Korean Grand Prix and the return of Canada, subject to the completion of contract negotiations with Formula One management, a statement on the FIA's website said.
Formula One has been marred by controversy this year, as eight disgruntled 'rebel' teams - among them Ferrari, BMW-Sauber, McLaren and others - vowed to organise a breakaway series.
The dispute was linked to controversial plans by the FIA to impose budget caps and technical limitations on teams in 2010 in a bid to make the competition more balanced and to make it easier for smaller teams to compete.
On Monday, Renault's F1 team was given a two-year suspended ban from Formula One for its role in fixing last year's Singapore Grand Prix.
The team was summoned before the sport's governing body, the FIA, to answer charges that team members had asked driver Nelson Piquet Jr. to crash his vehicle, to enable teammate Fernando Alonso to win the race.
Renault's team boss Flavio Briatore was banned from FIA events for life.
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