A review of the 2014 F1 calendar - The good and the bad

A record number of races in a single Formula One season will have to wait. The FIA, following a meeting of its World Motor Sport Council recently gave its approval for the 2014 Formula One calendar.

The notable omissions(but expected one’s) from the draft calendar which was proposed by the FIA in September, were New Jersey(USA), Mexico and Korea which were marked as provisional at that time. This helped the race calendar be brought down to the current number at 19 races instead of the bloated 22.

While it was already decided that India will miss the calendar for 2015 due to multiple roadblocks, the return of Austria(after increased pressure from the Austrian team Red-Bull), at the revamped Red Bull Ring, and the long-awaited arrival of Russia at a new venue at Sochi are the two new additions on next season’s schedule.

The season would kick off with the Australian GP, on March 16, but there will be a break after it (for the first time since 2007 )as Malaysia will host the race a week ahead of the Bahrain GP on March 30. The Bahrain GP, celebrating it’s tenth anniversary in Formula One, will be transformed into a night race in 2014.

The British GP has been scheduled for July 6(a traditional date) after it was shifted to late June for this year. German GP will return to Hockenheim as per the race sharing agreement with the Nurburgring. The season will eventually end at Abu Dhabi instead of the usual Brazilian GP.

Here’s a review of the critical points of the 2014 calendar.

1. 22 races – A bit prolonged

As per the final list approved by FIA, 19 races will be held in the 2014 season instead of the proposed 22.

With three races facing the axe, the race calendar gives the teams some breathing space. More so because, three extra races would have meant a significant increase in the ever rising costs for them in terms of travel, logistics and staffing. Needless to say the driver fatigue with a packed calendar would have kept them on their toes. Another major aspect which helped do away with the 22 races in the calendar was with the new regulations.

Teams would only be allowed a maximum of 5 power-trains, reduced from the current 8, spanning over 19 races. Had there been 22 races, teams would have to invariably shell out more for replacing an engine and also face penalty. The new engine’s as such would fall into a window of uncertainty considering they would be largely untested on the track and might suffer from reliability issues.

As per new rules, an engine component being changed before its defined life, a ten-place grid penalty will be handed to the driver while a whole engine change will see the driver starting from pit lane. Thanks to the rule change, penalties might be given like parking tickets and the Championship might get really exciting. All said and done, the 2014 season promises to be an action packed one.

2. New Jersey and Mexico will have to wait

The Korean GP is not a part of the 2014 calendar pushing its future in doubt.

The prospective Grand Prix of America in New Jersey, which was postponed by one year, made it to the draft list only to help speed up things as per contract but the commercial rights holder faced problems with the funding, and that meant it was only wise to opt out of New Jersey. While the delay has raised questions over the track’s availability at all, it might find its way into the 2015 calendar as organizers remained upbeat on holding an impressive inaugural Grand Prix of America. With New Jersey getting crossed off the list, a possible triple-header, Monaco-New Jersey-Canada, that could have left all involved gasping, was also avoided

A return to Mexico, which was also included in the draft piece, was sidelined as a major construction(track refurbishing) setup, to be carried out at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, remained unfinished. The track last hosted a Formula One race in 1992.

South Korea’s omission from the final list wasn’t much of a surprise. The track was suffering from financial difficulties at the rarely-used and remote Yeongam circuit, Mokpo in the country’s far south-west. Despite the organizers efforts(hoping for sanctioned fee to be reduced) to cut a deal with Bernie Ecclestone(a hard negotiator), it was never doubtful as to who would emerge with the upper hand. Even though the track was popular among the drivers due to its setup, it failed to attract fans and was rarely packed with locals(may be barring the inaugural race). The tracks future now stands in jeopardy.

3. Twilight replaces Tradition

Twilight race at Abu Dhabi GP will replace the traditional Brazilian GP as the final race of the season.

As Mexico failed to make it to the list, the sixth edition of Formula One’s only twilight race at Abu Dhabi will host the last race of the season instead Brazil. Abu Dhabi was previously the final race of the year when it first made it to the Formula One calendar in 2009 and 2010.

While it remains hidden whether the contract between FIA and race organizers had to do something with the switch, one reason for hosting the race at the Yas Marina Circuit could be that it would make it easier for the teams to start with their post-season test sessions(for 2015) immediately after the race and in favorable weather conditions.

Secondly, the time of the year also remains suitable for tourists making it to the Middle-East country and the race schedule will act as a catalyst to attract more visitors and eventually more money for the parties involved.

The 2014 F1 calendar

March 16 – Australia (Melbourne)March 30 – Malaysia (Sepang)April 6 – Bahrain (Sakhir)April 20 – China (Shanghai)May 11 – Spain (Barcelona)May 25 – MonacoJune 8 – Canada (Montreal)June 22 – Austria (Red Bull Ring)July 6 – Britain (Silverstone)July 20 – Germany (Hockenheim)July 27 – Hungary (Budapest)August 24 – Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)September 7 – Italy (Monza)September 21 – SingaporeOctober 5 – Japan (Suzuka)October 12 – Russia (Sochi)November 2 – United States (Austin)November 9 – Brazil (Interlagos)November 23 – Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)