31/08/2018
NEWS STORY
Draft calendar issued by Formula One Management for 2019 features 21 races for the third time in the sport's history.
The season will begin on March 17th with the Australian Grand Prix and finish on December 1 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
2019 will also mark the 1000th Grand Prix since the Formula One World Championship's inception in 1950. The race which will host this milestone will be the Chinese Grand Prix on April 14th.
The release date of the 2019 draft calendar coincides with two other important announcements relating to some of the most historical races in the calendar.
The agreement with the promoter of the Japanese Grand Prix, MobilityLand Corp., has been renewed for three further years with the race taking place at the Suzuka Circuit until 2021. Also, the 2018 grand prix will have Honda as title sponsor of the race, at a time the Japanese Grand Prix celebrates its 30th anniversary.
After the success of the German Grand Prix, a new agreement has been reached with the promoter to allow Germany to maintain its presence on the calendar.
This important outcome has been reached following the decisive commitment of the Municipality of Hockenheim and Hockenheim-Ring GmbH and the proactive support of Mercedes-Benz, Andreas Scheuer, the Federal Minister of Transportation and Digital Infrastructure and the German automobile clubs ADAC and AvD. The 2019 German Grand Prix will take place at the Hockenheim-Ring and will see Mercedes-Benz as the title sponsor.
Another historical Grand Prix has renewed its association with Formula 1: the Belgian Grand Prix will be part of the calendar until the end of 2021, following an agreement reached last June with Spa Grand Prix.
"It gives me great pleasure to announce that the draft of the 2019 FIA Formula 1 World Championship calendar is made up of 21 races, as it was this year," said Chase Carey, Chairman and CEO at Formula 1. "In addition, we are honoured the promoters of the long-standing Japanese Grand Prix have agreed to a new long-term deal that will ensure our loyal and knowledgeable Japanese fans will be able to enjoy Formula 1 for more years to come. I am also delighted to confirm that with the very valuable help of Mercedes-Benz, the German automobile clubs ADAC and AvD and the German Minister for Transportation and Digital Infrastructure, we have reached an agreement with the Municipality of Hockenheim and the promoter Hockenheim-Ring GmbH which will allow to once more race at this iconic circuit also in 2019. This demonstrates how all stakeholders within Formula 1 are working together to ensure the long-term future of the sport and its fans."
"The renewal of the Japanese Grand Prix and the confirmation of the German Grand Prix are both examples of our direction to place fans at the heart of Formula 1," added Sean Bratches, Managing Director, Commercial Operations at Formula 1, "a vision shared with all our promoters. The successful extension of the Fan Zones at the race circuits, coupled with the colourful city F1 Festivals in London, Shanghai, Marseille, Milan and Miami, prove there is a great appetite for all aspects of Formula 1."
"We are pleased to be celebrating 30 years of Formula 1 at Suzuka Circuit and to be sharing the special event with Honda, who are our title partner," said Susumu Yamashita, President at MobilityLand Corp. "We would like to express our sincere appreciation to both Honda Motor Co., Ltd and Formula 1 for allowing this to happen and we are looking forward to the Grand Prix weekend. Following the announcement of the race renewal, we are excited for the future and hope that the Suzuka Circuit continues to remain a fan's favourite around the world, whilst continuing to contribute positively toward the prosperity of motor sports in Japan."
"I want to convey our sincere gratitude to the many fans for their long time support in enabling us to hold the Formula One Japanese Grand Prix 30th Memorial Race in the Suzuka Circuit," added Takahiro Hachigo, President and Representative Director at Honda Motor Co. Ltd. "We'd love to enjoy the Formula One race which is the top race of motor sports together with all of you and bring additional excitement to motor sports in Japan. Please come to visit it at the circuit. We will be waiting for you all of our fans with the contents to please and amuse you at F1 Honda Grand Prix Race."
"We are very delighted that after this year's impressive Formula 1 race at the Hockenheim-Ring, a German Grand Prix has also been secured for 2019," said Georg Sailer, CEO, Hockenheim-Ring GmbH. "The intensive, direct contractual discussions between Formula 1 and us in recent weeks have always been trusting, constructive and solution-oriented - the agreement reached is proof of this. We would also like to thank our long-standing partner Mercedes Benz in particular for its commitment as title sponsor which made the agreement possible in the first place."
"This year's Grand Prix in Hockenheim was a demonstration of the enthusiasm that Formula 1 generates in Germany," added Toto Wolff, Team Principal & CEO of Mercedes AMG Petronas Motorsport. "It was therefore important for us to do everything in our power to ensure that our home race will take place again next year. Together with Formula 1 and all the relevant stakeholders, we have found a way to make it happen. We are delighted that Mercedes-Benz will also be the title sponsor of the German Grand Prix next year."
17th March: Australia
31st March: Bahrain
14th April: China
28th April: Azerbaijan
12th May: Spain
26th May: Monaco
9th June: Canada
23rd June: France
30th June: Austria
14th July: Great Britain
28th July: Germany
4th August: Hungary
1st September: Belgium
8th September: Italy
22nd September: Singapore
29th September: Russia
13th October: Japan
27th October: Mexico
3rd November: USA
17th November: Brazil
1st December: Abu Dhabi
The calendar will be submitted for approval during the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting on October 12th.