2012 Formula One season
Encyclopedia
The 2012 Formula One season will be the 63rd FIA
Formula One
season. 2012 will be the penultimate year of the current 2.4 litre V8 engine configuration, before being replaced by more environmentally friendly 1.6 litre V6 turbo engines in 2014. The 2012 season is scheduled to see the return of the United States Grand Prix
to the calendar, with the race to be held at a brand-new circuit in Austin
, Texas
.
Sebastian Vettel
will start the season as the defending World Drivers' Champion, having secured his second championship with a podium finish at the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix
. Red Bull Racing
retain their World Constructors' Championship.
with a three-day 'Young Driver Test' (for drivers with fewer than three Formula One race starts to their name) at the Yas Marina Circuit from 15–17 November 2011. Toro Rosso test driver and Formula Renault 3.5 Series runner-up Jean-Éric Vergne
was the fastest driver in every session over the three-day test, driving for Red Bull Racing
. The Young Driver Tests also saw the debut of Pirelli
's 2012 tyre compounds, with all bar one of the tyre compounds used in 2011 having undergone significant revisions. Several teams, including Williams and Mercedes
used the tests as an opportunity to test parts for the 2012 season in the face of a ban on exhaust-blown diffusers.
between the Formula One Teams Association
and the FIA in the first half of , a new Concorde Agreement
was signed on 1 August 2009 by the then FIA president Max Mosley
and all of the existing teams at the time. The new agreement provides for a continuation of the terms of the 1998 Concorde Agreement, and runs until 31 December 2012.
The FIA published a provisional entry list on 30 November 2011.
President Jean Todt
later clarified this position, stating that the 2012 calendar would have no more than twenty races, but gave no indication as to which race would be removed from the calendar. On 29 July 2011, a second provisional calendar was released, confirming that the Turkish Grand Prix
would be discontinued. However, the teams requested a second revision of the calendar, citing logistical concerns over the final away leg of the championship, featuring seven races in ten weeks on three continents. The final calendar was released on 31 August 2011.
Notes
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
season. 2012 will be the penultimate year of the current 2.4 litre V8 engine configuration, before being replaced by more environmentally friendly 1.6 litre V6 turbo engines in 2014. The 2012 season is scheduled to see the return of the United States Grand Prix
United States Grand Prix
The United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the...
to the calendar, with the race to be held at a brand-new circuit in Austin
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel
Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Red Bull Racing. He is the current World Champion, having won the championship in and ....
will start the season as the defending World Drivers' Champion, having secured his second championship with a podium finish at the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix
2011 Japanese Grand Prix
The 2011 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 9 October 2011 at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Japan. It was the fifteenth round of the 2011 Formula One season, and the thirty-eighth time the Japanese Grand Prix had been held...
. Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...
retain their World Constructors' Championship.
Pre-season
The pre-season testing season began immediately after the 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
The 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the eighteenth and penultimate round of the 2011 Formula One season. It was held on 13 November 2011 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, a man-made island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It was the third running of the Abu Dhabi...
with a three-day 'Young Driver Test' (for drivers with fewer than three Formula One race starts to their name) at the Yas Marina Circuit from 15–17 November 2011. Toro Rosso test driver and Formula Renault 3.5 Series runner-up Jean-Éric Vergne
Jean-Eric Vergne
Jean-Éric Vergne is a professional racing driver from France. He was the 2010 British Formula Three champion.-Karting:...
was the fastest driver in every session over the three-day test, driving for Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing
Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the...
. The Young Driver Tests also saw the debut of Pirelli
Pirelli
Pirelli & C. SpA is a diverse multinational company based in Milan, Italy. The company, the world’s fifth largest tyre manufacturer, is present in over 160 countries, has 20 manufacturing sites around the world and a network of around 10,000 distributors and retailers.Founded in Milan in 1872,...
's 2012 tyre compounds, with all bar one of the tyre compounds used in 2011 having undergone significant revisions. Several teams, including Williams and Mercedes
Mercedes GP
Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team, the trading name of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Limited, is a British-based Formula One racing team and constructor, owned by Mercedes-Benz and racing under a German licence since the 2010 season....
used the tests as an opportunity to test parts for the 2012 season in the face of a ban on exhaust-blown diffusers.
Signed teams and drivers
After a disputeFIA–FOTA dispute
The FIA–FOTA dispute was a series of ongoing political clashes between the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile and Formula One Teams Association over proposed changes to the rules and regulations for the 2010 Formula One season...
between the Formula One Teams Association
Formula One Teams Association
The Formula One Teams Association is a group of Formula One teams that was formed at a meeting in Maranello on 29 July 2008. This organisation gives the teams a united voice in their ongoing discussions with the FIA and The Formula One Group regarding the future of Formula One. It is headed by...
and the FIA in the first half of , a new Concorde Agreement
Concorde Agreement
The Concorde Agreement is a contract between the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , the Formula One teams and the Formula One Administration which dictates the terms by which the teams compete in races and take their share of the television revenues and prize money...
was signed on 1 August 2009 by the then FIA president Max Mosley
Max Mosley
Max Rufus Mosley is the former president of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , a non-profit association that represents the interests of motoring organisations and car users worldwide...
and all of the existing teams at the time. The new agreement provides for a continuation of the terms of the 1998 Concorde Agreement, and runs until 31 December 2012.
The FIA published a provisional entry list on 30 November 2011.
| Team | Constructor | Chassis | Engine | Tyre | Race Drivers | Test/Reserve Driver(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Red Bull RacingRed Bull Racing Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the... |
Red Bull Red Bull Racing Red Bull Racing is a Formula One racing team based in Milton Keynes, England which currently holds an Austrian licence. It is, along with Scuderia Toro Rosso, one of two teams owned by beverage company Red Bull GmbH. The team have won two Constructors' Championship titles, in and , becoming the... |
RB8 | Renault Renault Sport F1 Renault Sport F1 is the current incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula 1. It was born at the end of 2010, when the carmaker sold the 25 per cent final share property from its Enstone-based team, Renault F1, to major stockholder Genii Capital but kept for itself the control of its... |
1 |  Sebastian VettelSebastian Vettel Sebastian Vettel is a German Formula One racing driver, currently driving for Red Bull Racing. He is the current World Champion, having won the championship in and .... |
TBA | |
| 2 |  Mark WebberMark Webber Mark Alan Webber is an Australian Formula One driver.After some racing success in Australia, Webber moved to the United Kingdom in 1995 to further his motorsport career... |
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| Vodafone McLaren Mercedes McLaren McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup... |
McLaren McLaren McLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup... |
MP4-27A | Mercedes Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Ltd. is a British Formula One engine manufacturer, owned by Mercedes-Benz. Since 1995, their engines have powered McLaren's Formula One cars. For the 2009 season, Mercedes-Benz also supplied the Brawn GP and Force India teams with engines... |
3 | Jenson Button Jenson Button Jenson Alexander Lyons Button MBE is a British Formula One driver currently signed to McLaren. He was the 2009 World Drivers' Champion.Button began karting at the age of eight and achieved early success, before progressing to car racing in the British Formula Ford Championship and the British... |
 Gary PaffettGary Paffett Gary Paffett is a British racing driver in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. He is also a test driver for the McLaren Formula One team. Paffett progressed through the ranks of karting and junior formulae in the United Kingdom, winning the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in 1999... |
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| 4 | Lewis Hamilton Lewis Hamilton Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton, MBE is a British Formula One racing driver from England, currently racing for the McLaren team. He was the Formula One World Champion.Hamilton was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire... |
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 Scuderia FerrariScuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... |
Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... |
TBA | Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... |
5 |  Fernando AlonsoFernando Alonso Fernando Alonso Díaz is a Spanish Formula One racing driver and a two-time World Champion, who is currently racing for Ferrari.... |
TBA | |
| 6 |  Felipe MassaFelipe Massa Felipe Massa is a Brazilian Formula One racing driver. He finished second in the Drivers' World Championship, and is under contract to race for Scuderia Ferrari until the end of the season.-Early years:... |
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| Mercedes GP Petronas F1 Team |
Mercedes | MGP W03 | Mercedes Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Ltd. is a British Formula One engine manufacturer, owned by Mercedes-Benz. Since 1995, their engines have powered McLaren's Formula One cars. For the 2009 season, Mercedes-Benz also supplied the Brawn GP and Force India teams with engines... |
7 | Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time... |
TBA | |
| 8 | Nico Rosberg Nico Rosberg Nico Erik Rosberg is a racing driver for the Mercedes GP Formula One team. He races under the German flag in Formula One, although he competed for Finland earlier in his career... |
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| Lotus F1 Team Renault F1 Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking... |
Lotus Renault F1 Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking... |
TBA | Renault Renault Sport F1 Renault Sport F1 is the current incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula 1. It was born at the end of 2010, when the carmaker sold the 25 per cent final share property from its Enstone-based team, Renault F1, to major stockholder Genii Capital but kept for itself the control of its... |
9 |  Kimi RäikkönenKimi Räikkönen Kimi Matias Räikkönen , nicknamed Iceman, is a Finnish racing driver, who will drive in Formula One for Lotus in . After nine seasons racing in Formula One, in which he took the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, he competed in the World Rally Championship from 2009-2011.Räikkönen entered... |
TBA | |
| 10 |  Vitaly PetrovVitaly Petrov Vitaly Alexandrovich Petrov is a Russian Formula One racing driver, currently driving for the Lotus Renault GP team. He is known as "Vyborg Rocket" in Russia. He is, to date, the only Russian to have competed in the Formula One World Championship.... |
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 Sahara Force India F1 TeamForce India Sahara Force India Formula One Team, the trading name of Force India Formula One Team Limited, is a Formula One racing team based in Silverstone, United Kingdom which currently holds an Indian licence. The team was formed in October 2007 when a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and... |
Force India Force India Sahara Force India Formula One Team, the trading name of Force India Formula One Team Limited, is a Formula One racing team based in Silverstone, United Kingdom which currently holds an Indian licence. The team was formed in October 2007 when a consortium led by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya and... |
TBA | Mercedes Mercedes-Benz High Performance Engines Mercedes-Benz HighPerformanceEngines Ltd. is a British Formula One engine manufacturer, owned by Mercedes-Benz. Since 1995, their engines have powered McLaren's Formula One cars. For the 2009 season, Mercedes-Benz also supplied the Brawn GP and Force India teams with engines... |
11 | TBA | TBA | |
| 12 | TBA | ||||||
 Sauber F1 TeamSauber Sauber F1 Team is a Swiss Formula One team. It was founded in the 1970s by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in 1993.... |
Sauber Sauber Sauber F1 Team is a Swiss Formula One team. It was founded in the 1970s by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in 1993.... |
TBA | Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... |
14 |  Kamui KobayashiKamui Kobayashi is a Japanese racing driver. He has competed in the GP2 Series, won the GP2 Asia Series, and made his Formula One debut with Toyota in the final two races of when he replaced Timo Glock after the German was injured in a crash during qualifying for the... |
 Esteban GutiérrezEsteban Gutiérrez Esteban Manuel Gutiérrez Gutiérrez is a Mexican race car driver. He is the reigning GP3 Champion, having won the title in the series' inaugural 2010 season... |
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| 15 | Sergio Pérez Sergio Pérez Sergio Pérez Mendoza , also known as "Checo" Pérez, is a Mexican racing driver of Spanish descent, currently racing for Sauber in the 2011 Formula One season... |
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| Scuderia Toro Rosso Scuderia Toro Rosso Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team... |
Toro Rosso Scuderia Toro Rosso Scuderia Toro Rosso , also known simply as Toro Rosso or by its abbreviation STR, is an Italian Formula One racing team... |
STR7 | Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari Scuderia Ferrari is the racing team division of the Ferrari automobile marque. The team currently only races in Formula One but has competed in numerous classes of motorsport since its formation in 1929, including sportscar racing.... |
16 | TBA | TBA | |
| 17 | TBA | ||||||
| AT&T Williams WilliamsF1 Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head... |
Williams WilliamsF1 Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head... |
TBA | Renault Renault Sport F1 Renault Sport F1 is the current incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula 1. It was born at the end of 2010, when the carmaker sold the 25 per cent final share property from its Enstone-based team, Renault F1, to major stockholder Genii Capital but kept for itself the control of its... |
18 |  Pastor MaldonadoPastor Maldonado Pastor Rafael Maldonado Motta is a Venezuelan Formula One driver. Before making his Formula One debut in 2011, he won the 2010 GP2 championship.-Formula Renault:... |
Valtteri Bottas Valtteri Bottas Valtteri Bottas is a Finnish racing driver. He currently resides in Oxford, United Kingdom.-Career:Bottas won both the 2008 Formula Renault Eurocup and the 2008 Formula Renault Northern European Cup... |
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| 19 | TBA | ||||||
 Caterham F1 Team |
Caterham | TBA | Renault Renault Sport F1 Renault Sport F1 is the current incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula 1. It was born at the end of 2010, when the carmaker sold the 25 per cent final share property from its Enstone-based team, Renault F1, to major stockholder Genii Capital but kept for itself the control of its... |
20 | Heikki Kovalainen Heikki Kovalainen Heikki Johannes Kovalainen is a Finnish Formula One racing driver who spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons with British based team McLaren and the 2010 and 2011 seasons with Team Lotus.... |
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| 21 | Jarno Trulli Jarno Trulli Jarno Trulli is an Italian Formula One racing driver. He has been a regular in Formula One since 1997, driving for Minardi, Prost, Jordan, Renault and Toyota. He won the 2004 Monaco Grand Prix for Renault, his only Grand Prix victory to date. He is known for being a qualification expert... |
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| HRT F1 Team |
HRT | TBA | TBA | 22 | Pedro de la Rosa Pedro de la Rosa Pedro Martínez de la Rosa is a Formula One driver who has participated in 87 Grands Prix for the Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren and Sauber teams, debuting on 7 March 1999, becoming one of very few drivers to score a point at his first race... |
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| 23 | TBA | ||||||
| Marussia F1 Team Virgin Racing Marussia Virgin Racing, the trading name of Virgin Racing Limited, is a Russian owned Formula One racing team based in the United Kingdom and racing on a Russian licence, which made its debut in the 2010 Formula One season. It was granted entry as Manor Grand Prix on 12 June 2009, as one of four... |
Marussia Virgin Racing Marussia Virgin Racing, the trading name of Virgin Racing Limited, is a Russian owned Formula One racing team based in the United Kingdom and racing on a Russian licence, which made its debut in the 2010 Formula One season. It was granted entry as Manor Grand Prix on 12 June 2009, as one of four... |
TBA | Cosworth Cosworth Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries... |
24 | Timo Glock Timo Glock Timo Glock is a German motor racing driver, currently driving in Formula One for the Virgin Racing team. At the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix, standing in for Giorgio Pantano who had a contract dispute with Jordan Grand Prix, he joined a select group of drivers who have scored a World Championship... |
TBA | |
| 25 |  Charles PicCharles Pic Charles Pic is a French racing driver who will race in Formula One in with Marussia.-Karting:... |
Team changes
- In June 2011, Williams announced that they would be using RenaultRenault Sport F1Renault Sport F1 is the current incarnation of Renault's involvement in Formula 1. It was born at the end of 2010, when the carmaker sold the 25 per cent final share property from its Enstone-based team, Renault F1, to major stockholder Genii Capital but kept for itself the control of its...
engines for the 2012 and 2013 seasons, with an option to use Renault engines again in 2014 under the next generation of engine regulations. Renault had previously supplied engines to Williams from 19891989 Formula One seasonThe 1989 Formula One season was the 40th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1989 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 26, 1989 and ended on November 5 after sixteen races...
to 19971997 Formula One seasonThe 1997 Formula One season was the 48th FIA Formula One World Championship season. It commenced on March 9, 1997, and ended on October 26 after seventeen races.-Season summary:...
, when the team won four World Drivers' Championships and five World Constructors' Championships. - In July 2011, Virgin RacingVirgin RacingMarussia Virgin Racing, the trading name of Virgin Racing Limited, is a Russian owned Formula One racing team based in the United Kingdom and racing on a Russian licence, which made its debut in the 2010 Formula One season. It was granted entry as Manor Grand Prix on 12 June 2009, as one of four...
split with Wirth ResearchWirth Research- Wirth Research :Wirth Research is a group of engineering companies specialising in research, development, design and manufacture for the motor racing industry and other high technology sectors....
mid-season after a technical review by former Renault F1 TeamRenault F1Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
engineering director Pat SymondsPat SymondsPatrick Bruce Reith Symonds is the former Executive Director of Engineering of the Renault Formula One team....
found that Virgin's CFD-onlyComputational fluid dynamicsComputational fluid dynamics, usually abbreviated as CFD, is a branch of fluid mechanics that uses numerical methods and algorithms to solve and analyze problems that involve fluid flows. Computers are used to perform the calculations required to simulate the interaction of liquids and gases with...
approach had failed. The team also announced a technical partnership with McLarenMcLarenMcLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
that granted them access to McLaren's testing facilities as well as the purchase of Wirth Research facilities. - At the November 2011 meeting of the Formula One Commission in Geneva, several teams were given permission to change their names, pending final approval from the World Motorsports Council in December of that year:
- Team Lotus will become Caterham F1 Team, reflecting team principal Tony FernandesTony FernandesTan Sri Anthony Francis Fernandes CBE is a Malaysian entrepreneur and the founder of Tune Air Sdn. Bhd., who introduced the first budget no-frills airline, AirAsia, to Malaysians with the tagline "Now everyone can fly"...
' purchase of Caterham CarsCaterham CarsCaterham Cars is a manufacturer of specialist lightweight sports cars based in Caterham, Surrey, England and part of the British motor industry. Their only current model, the Caterham 7 , is a direct evolution of the Series 3 Lotus Seven designed by Colin Chapman and originally launched in 1968. A...
. - Lotus Renault GPRenault F1Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
will change their constructor and chassis names to Lotus, having been sponsored by Lotus CarsLotus CarsLotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
in 20102010 Formula One seasonThe 2010 Formula One season was the 61st Formula One season of World Championship motor racing competition. Red Bull Racing won its maiden Constructors' Championship with a one-two finish in Brazil, while Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' Championship after winning the final race...
. - Virgin RacingVirgin RacingMarussia Virgin Racing, the trading name of Virgin Racing Limited, is a Russian owned Formula One racing team based in the United Kingdom and racing on a Russian licence, which made its debut in the 2010 Formula One season. It was granted entry as Manor Grand Prix on 12 June 2009, as one of four...
will become Marussia F1 Team, reflecting increased ownership of the team by Russian car manufacturer Marussia Motors.
- As a result of the name changes, Team Lotus and Lotus Renault GP declared that their ongoing dispute over the use of the Lotus name was over after they had reached an "amicable conclusion". Although the exact terms of the settlement were kept confidential, the joint statement detailed the transfer of the rights to the Lotus and Team Lotus names being transferred to Group Lotus' ownership.
Driver changes
- Pedro de la RosaPedro de la RosaPedro Martínez de la Rosa is a Formula One driver who has participated in 87 Grands Prix for the Arrows, Jaguar, McLaren and Sauber teams, debuting on 7 March 1999, becoming one of very few drivers to score a point at his first race...
will return to Formula One with Hispania. De la Rosa has been without a full-time drive since the 2010 Italian Grand Prix2010 Italian Grand PrixThe 2010 Italian Grand Prix was the fourteenth round of the 2010 Formula One season. It was held in Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza, Italy on September 12, 2010...
, having spent the majority of the 2011 season2011 Formula One seasonThe 2011 Formula One season was the 62nd FIA Formula One season. The original calendar consisted of twenty rounds, including the inaugural running of the Indian Grand Prix before the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pirelli returned to the sport as tyre supplier for all teams, taking over...
as a test driver for McLarenMcLarenMcLaren Racing Limited, trading as Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, is a British Formula One team based in Woking, Surrey, United Kingdom. McLaren is best known as a Formula One constructor but has also competed and won in the Indianapolis 500 and Canadian-American Challenge Cup...
. - After being injured in a rally accident shortly before the 2011 season, Robert KubicaRobert KubicaRobert Józef Kubica is the first Polish racing driver to compete in Formula One. Between 2006 and 2009 he drove for the BMW Sauber F1 team, promoted from test driver to race driver during 2006...
spent the 2011 season recovering from his injuries. In November 2011, Kubica informed his teamRenault F1Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
that he would not be ready to start the 2012 season. Renault team principal Éric BoullierÉric BoullierÉric René Boullier is a French motor racing engineer and manager, currently the team principal of the Lotus Renault GP Formula One team and vice chairman of FOTA.-Career:...
has indicated that he would be prepared to make a seat available for Kubica mid-season if and when Kubica is prepared to return. - Charles PicCharles PicCharles Pic is a French racing driver who will race in Formula One in with Marussia.-Karting:...
— who placed fourth in the 2011 GP2 Series2011 GP2 Series seasonThe 2011 GP2 Series season was the seventh season of the pan-European motor racing series for single specification open wheel GP2 cars. Thirteen teams competed over a nine event series that run from May 7 at Istanbul Park in Turkey to September 11 at Monza in Italy...
driving for Addax — will join MarussiaVirgin RacingMarussia Virgin Racing, the trading name of Virgin Racing Limited, is a Russian owned Formula One racing team based in the United Kingdom and racing on a Russian licence, which made its debut in the 2010 Formula One season. It was granted entry as Manor Grand Prix on 12 June 2009, as one of four...
, replacing Jérôme d'AmbrosioJérôme d'AmbrosioJérôme d'Ambrosio is a Belgian racing driver of Italian descent. He is driving for Marussia Virgin Racing during the 2011 Formula One World Championship.-Karting:...
. - 20072007 Formula One seasonThe 2007 Formula One season was the 58th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship, which began on 18 March and ended on 21 October after seventeen events. The Drivers' Championship was won by Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen by one point at the...
World Drivers' Champion Kimi RäikkönenKimi RäikkönenKimi Matias Räikkönen , nicknamed Iceman, is a Finnish racing driver, who will drive in Formula One for Lotus in . After nine seasons racing in Formula One, in which he took the Formula One World Drivers' Championship, he competed in the World Rally Championship from 2009-2011.Räikkönen entered...
will return to the sport with Lotus Renault GPRenault F1Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
after a two-year hiatus competing in the World Rally ChampionshipWorld Rally ChampionshipThe World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
. Räikkönen had previously been in negotiations with Williams before joining Lotus.
2012 calendar
Bernie Ecclestone has expressed a desire to see the calendar expand to a record twenty rounds, the maximum he feels is viable. However, a provisional calendar was announced in June 2011, with a record twenty-one races. FIAFédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
President Jean Todt
Jean Todt
Jean Todt was born on February 25, 1946, in Pierrefort, Cantal, France. After a successful career as a rally co-driver he made his reputation in motor sport management, first with Peugeot Talbot Sport, then with Scuderia Ferrari, before being appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari from 2004...
later clarified this position, stating that the 2012 calendar would have no more than twenty races, but gave no indication as to which race would be removed from the calendar. On 29 July 2011, a second provisional calendar was released, confirming that the Turkish Grand Prix
Turkish Grand Prix
The Turkish Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race that was first held on August 21, 2005 as part of the 2005 Formula One season. It is held at the newly built Istanbul Park Circuit, constructed by famous German civil engineer Hermann Tilke...
would be discontinued. However, the teams requested a second revision of the calendar, citing logistical concerns over the final away leg of the championship, featuring seven races in ten weeks on three continents. The final calendar was released on 31 August 2011.
| Round | Race Title | Grand Prix | Circuit | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australian Grand Prix Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has... |
Australian GP Australian Grand Prix The Australian Grand Prix is a motor race held annually and is held to be the pinnacle of motor racing in Australia. The Grand Prix is the oldest surviving motor racing competition held in Australia having been held 76 times since it was first run at Phillip Island in 1928. Since 1985 the race has... |
Albert Park Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit The Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit is a street circuit around Albert Park Lake, only a few kilometres south of central Melbourne. It is used annually as a racetrack for the Australian Grand Prix and associated support races.-Design:... , Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... |
18 March |
| 2 | Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix Malaysian Grand Prix First included in the Formula One World Championship in 1999, the current Malaysian Grand Prix is held at the Sepang International Circuit at Sepang, Malaysia. FIA-sanctioned racing in Malaysia has existed since the 1960s... |
Malaysian GP Malaysian Grand Prix First included in the Formula One World Championship in 1999, the current Malaysian Grand Prix is held at the Sepang International Circuit at Sepang, Malaysia. FIA-sanctioned racing in Malaysia has existed since the 1960s... |
Sepang International Circuit Sepang International Circuit The Sepang International Circuit is a racing circuit in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, approximately 60 km south of the capital city Kuala Lumpur. It is the venue used for the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, A1 Grand Prix as well as the... , Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... |
25 March |
| 3 | UBS Chinese Grand Prix Chinese Grand Prix The Chinese Grand Prix is a round of the Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, designed by Hermann Tilke. When completed in 2004, it was the most expensive Formula One circuit facility, costing $240 million... |
Chinese GP Chinese Grand Prix The Chinese Grand Prix is a round of the Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, designed by Hermann Tilke. When completed in 2004, it was the most expensive Formula One circuit facility, costing $240 million... |
 Shanghai International CircuitShanghai International Circuit The Shanghai International Circuit is a motor racing circuit, situated in the Jiading District of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. The circuit is best known as the venue for the annual Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, which was first hosted in 2004.... , Shanghai Shanghai Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010... |
15 April |
| 4 | Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix Bahrain Grand Prix The Bahrain Grand Prix is a Formula One Championship race which first took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4 April 2004.The Bahrain Grand Prix, sponsored by Gulf Air, made history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East... |
Bahrain GP Bahrain Grand Prix The Bahrain Grand Prix is a Formula One Championship race which first took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4 April 2004.The Bahrain Grand Prix, sponsored by Gulf Air, made history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East... |
 Bahrain International CircuitBahrain International Circuit The Bahrain International Circuit is a motorsport venue opened in 2004 and used for drag racing, GP2 and the annual Bahrain Grand Prix. The 2004 Grand Prix was the first held in the Middle East. Since 2006, Australian V8 Supercar has been raced at the BIC and the V8 races are named as the Desert 400... , Sakhir Sakhir Sakhir is a desert area located in the Kingdom of Bahrain, near Zallaq. It contains the Al-Sakhir Palace, built in 1870. In the past few years, it has seen many changes such as the creation of the University of Bahrain main campus, al-Areen Wildlife Park, and Bahrain International Circuit. In... |
22 April |
| 5 | Gran Premio de España Santander Spanish Grand Prix The Spanish Grand Prix is a Formula One race currently held at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the annual Formula One championship season.-History:... |
Spanish GP Spanish Grand Prix The Spanish Grand Prix is a Formula One race currently held at the Circuit de Catalunya in Barcelona, Spain, as part of the annual Formula One championship season.-History:... |
Circuit de Catalunya Circuit de Catalunya The Circuit de Catalunya is a racetrack in Montmeló, to the north of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. With long straights and a variety of corners, the Circuit de Catalunya is seen as an all-rounder circuit.-History:... , Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... |
13 May |
| 6 | Grand Prix de Monaco Monaco Grand Prix The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, alongside the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans... |
Monaco GP Monaco Grand Prix The Monaco Grand Prix is a Formula One race held each year on the Circuit de Monaco. Run since 1929, it is widely considered to be one of the most important and prestigious automobile races in the world, alongside the Daytona 500, Indianapolis 500, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans... |
 Circuit de MonacoCircuit de Monaco Circuit de Monaco is a street circuit laid out on the city streets of Monte Carlo and La Condamine around the harbour of the principality of Monaco. It is commonly referred to as "Monte Carlo" because it is largely inside the Monte Carlo neighbourhood of Monaco.The circuit is used on one weekend in... , Monte Carlo Monte Carlo Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco.... |
27 May |
| 7 | Grand Prix du Canada Canadian Grand Prix The Canadian Grand Prix , abbreviated as gpc, is an annual auto race held in Canada starting in 1961. It has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967... |
Canadian GP Canadian Grand Prix The Canadian Grand Prix , abbreviated as gpc, is an annual auto race held in Canada starting in 1961. It has been part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967... |
 Circuit Gilles VilleneuveCircuit Gilles Villeneuve The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series.... , Montreal Montreal Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America... |
10 June |
| 8 | Grand Prix of Europe European Grand Prix The European Grand Prix is a Formula One event that was reintroduced during the mid-1980s and has been held regularly since 1999. From 2008 it will take place for at least another 7 years... |
European GP European Grand Prix The European Grand Prix is a Formula One event that was reintroduced during the mid-1980s and has been held regularly since 1999. From 2008 it will take place for at least another 7 years... |
Valencia Street Circuit Valencia Street Circuit The Valencia Street Circuit is a semi-permanent street circuit in Valencia, Spain which will host the Formula One European Grand Prix for seven years. The first race meeting on the circuit was held over the 23/24 August 2008 weekend, with Felipe Massa winning the main event, the European Grand... , Valencia |
24 June |
| 9 | Santander British Grand Prix British Grand Prix The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire... |
British GP British Grand Prix The British Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Silverstone Circuit near the village of Silverstone in Northamptonshire... |
Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit Silverstone Circuit is an English motor racing circuit next to the Northamptonshire villages of Silverstone and Whittlebury. The circuit straddles the Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire border, with the current main circuit entry on the Buckinghamshire side... , Silverstone Silverstone Silverstone is a village and civil parish in Northamptonshire, England. It is about from Towcester on the former A43 main road, from the M1 motorway junction 15A and about from the M40 motorway junction 10, Northampton, Milton Keynes and Banbury... |
8 July |
| 10 | Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland German Grand Prix The German Grand Prix is an annual automobile race.Because Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951... |
German GP German Grand Prix The German Grand Prix is an annual automobile race.Because Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951... |
Hockenheimring Hockenheimring The Hockenheimring Baden-Württemberg is an automobile racing track situated near the town of Hockenheim in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, located on Bertha Benz Memorial Route. Amongst other motor racing events, it biennially hosts the Formula One German Grand Prix... , Hockenheim Hockenheim Hockenheim is a German town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, about 20 km south of Mannheim. It is located in the Upper Rhine valley on the touristical theme routes Baden Asparagus Route and Bertha Benz Memorial Route... |
22 July |
| 11 | Eni Magyar Nagydíj Hungarian Grand Prix The first Hungarian Grand Prix was held on June 21, 1936 over a track laid out in Népliget, a park in Budapest. The Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union, and Ferrari teams all sent three cars and the event drew a very large crowd... |
Hungarian GP Hungarian Grand Prix The first Hungarian Grand Prix was held on June 21, 1936 over a track laid out in Népliget, a park in Budapest. The Mercedes-Benz, Auto Union, and Ferrari teams all sent three cars and the event drew a very large crowd... |
 HungaroringHungaroring The Hungaroring is a racing circuit in Mogyoród, near Budapest, Hungary where the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix is held. In 1986, it became the location of the first Formula One Grand Prix behind the Iron Curtain. Bernie Ecclestone wanted a race in the USSR, but a Hungarian friend of his... , Budapest Budapest Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter... |
29 July |
| 12 | Shell Belgian Grand Prix Belgian Grand Prix The Belgian Grand Prix is an automobile race, part of the Formula One World Championship.... |
Belgian GP Belgian Grand Prix The Belgian Grand Prix is an automobile race, part of the Formula One World Championship.... |
 Circuit de Spa-FrancorchampsCircuit de Spa-Francorchamps The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. It is also home to the all Volkswagen club event, 25 Hours of Spa, run by the Uniroyal Fun Cup. It is one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its... , Spa Spa, Belgium Spa is a municipality of Belgium. It lies in the country's Walloon Region and Province of Liège. It is situated in a valley in the Ardennes mountain chain, some southeast of Liège, and southwest of Aachen. As of 1 January 2006, Spa had a total population of 10,543... |
2 September |
| 13 | Gran Premio Santander d'Italia Italian Grand Prix The Italian Grand Prix is one of the longest running events on the motor racing calendar. The first Italian Grand Prix motor racing championship took place on 4 September 1921 at Brescia... |
Italian GP Italian Grand Prix The Italian Grand Prix is one of the longest running events on the motor racing calendar. The first Italian Grand Prix motor racing championship took place on 4 September 1921 at Brescia... |
Autodromo Nazionale Monza Autodromo Nazionale Monza The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is a race track located near the town of Monza, north of Milan, in Italy. The circuit's biggest event is the Formula One Italian Grand Prix, which has been hosted there since the sport's inception.... , Monza Monza Monza is a city and comune on the river Lambro, a tributary of the Po, in the Lombardy region of Italy some 15 km north-northeast of Milan. It is the capital of the Province of Monza and Brianza. It is best known for its Grand Prix motor racing circuit, the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.On June... |
9 September |
| 14 | SingTel Singapore Grand Prix Singapore Grand Prix The Singapore Grand Prix is a motor race, currently in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held in the Marina Bay area of Singapore... |
Singapore GP Singapore Grand Prix The Singapore Grand Prix is a motor race, currently in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held in the Marina Bay area of Singapore... |
 Marina Bay Street Circuit, Marina Bay |
23 September |
| 15 | Japanese Grand Prix Japanese Grand Prix The is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Traditionally one of the last, if not the last race of the season, the Japanese Grand Prix has been the venue for many title-deciding races, with 13 World Champions being crowned over the 27 World Championship Japanese... |
Japanese GP Japanese Grand Prix The is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. Traditionally one of the last, if not the last race of the season, the Japanese Grand Prix has been the venue for many title-deciding races, with 13 World Champions being crowned over the 27 World Championship Japanese... |
Suzuka Circuit Suzuka Circuit , Suzuka Circuit for short, is a motorsport race track located in Ino, Suzuka City, Mie Prefecture, Japan and operated by Mobilityland Corporation, the subsidiary of Honda Motor Co., Ltd..-Introduction:... , Suzuka Suzuka, Mie is a city located in Mie, Japan.As of 2011, the city has an estimated population of 198,716 and the density of 1,020 people per km². The total area is 194.67 km².Located about 83 km east from Nara, and 52 km southwest from Nagoya.-History:... |
7 October |
| 16 | Korean Grand Prix Korean Grand Prix The Korean Grand Prix is a Formula One race held in South Korea. After months of speculation, on October 2, 2006 it was confirmed that the event would actually take place in 2010, and would be hosted by the Korean International Circuit. It has also been revealed that the race will be promoted by a... |
Korean GP Korean Grand Prix The Korean Grand Prix is a Formula One race held in South Korea. After months of speculation, on October 2, 2006 it was confirmed that the event would actually take place in 2010, and would be hosted by the Korean International Circuit. It has also been revealed that the race will be promoted by a... |
 Korean International CircuitKorean International Circuit The Korea International Circuit is a motorsport circuit located in Yeongam, South Jeolla, South Korea, 400 kilometres south of Seoul and near the port city of Mokpo... , Yeongam |
14 October |
| 17 | Airtel Grand Prix of India Indian Grand Prix The Indian Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India... |
Indian GP Indian Grand Prix The Indian Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India... |
Buddh International Circuit, Greater Noida Greater Noida Greater Noida is located in the Gautam Budh Nagar district of the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh . It is under the purview of the National Capital Region of India... |
28 October |
| 18 | Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Abu Dhabi Grand Prix The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is a Formula One race. It was announced in early 2007 at the Abu Dhabi F1 Festival in the United Arab Emirates... |
Abu Dhabi GP Abu Dhabi Grand Prix The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is a Formula One race. It was announced in early 2007 at the Abu Dhabi F1 Festival in the United Arab Emirates... |
 Yas Marina Circuit, Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western... |
4 November |
| 19 | United States Grand Prix United States Grand Prix The United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the... † |
United States GP United States Grand Prix The United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the... |
 Circuit of the Americas, AustinAustin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in... |
18 November |
| 20 | Grande Prêmio do Brasil Brazilian Grand Prix The Brazilian Grand Prix is a Formula One championship race which occurs at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos, a district in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.- History :... |
Brazilian GP Brazilian Grand Prix The Brazilian Grand Prix is a Formula One championship race which occurs at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace in Interlagos, a district in the city of São Paulo, Brazil.- History :... |
Autódromo José Carlos Pace Autódromo José Carlos Pace Autódromo José Carlos Pace, also known by its former name Interlagos, is a motor racing circuit located in the city of São Paulo, and named after Carlos Pace, a Brazilian Formula One driver, who had died prior to its naming... , São Paulo São Paulo São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among... |
25 November |
Notes
- † — The United States Grand PrixUnited States Grand PrixThe United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the...
was in breach of its contract with Formula One Management in November 2011 following a dispute between circuit owners and event organisers. Bernie Ecclestone threatened to remove the event from the calendar if a resolution could not be found.
Calendar changes
- In May 2010, it was announced that Austin, TexasAustin, TexasAustin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
would host the return of the United States Grand PrixUnited States Grand PrixThe United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the...
, the first since IndianapolisIndianapolis Motor SpeedwayThe Indianapolis Motor Speedway, located in Speedway, Indiana in the United States, is the home of the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race and the Brickyard 400....
in 20072007 United States Grand PrixThe 2007 United States Grand Prix was the seventh race of the 2007 Formula One season. It was also the last Formula 1 race held in the United States. It was held on 15–17 June at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway...
. Known as the Circuit of the Americas, the venue will be a brand-new and purpose-built permanent circuit designed by Hermann TilkeHermann TilkeHermann Tilke is a German engineer and auto racer, who has designed numerous Formula One motor racing circuits.-Racing:...
. In November 2011, Bernie Ecclestone expressed "minor" doubt over the race going ahead after what he described as "disagreements inside the [management] company" and gave the circuit owners and race organisers a deadline of 7 December to sort out their differences or else risk losing the event entirely at the final meeting of the FIA World Motorsports Council in December 2011. Organisers for the event have conceded that the race is "probably not going to happen", but have expressed a willingness to delay the event for one year2013 Formula One seasonThe 2013 Formula One season will be the 64th season of the FIA Formula One World Championship. 2013 will be the final year the series uses the current 2.4 litre V8 engine configuration, with the introduction of a more environmentally friendly and fuel-efficient 1.6 litre V6 turbocharged engine...
. - The calendar released in July 2011 showed several events being moved around the calendar:
- The Bahrain Grand PrixBahrain Grand PrixThe Bahrain Grand Prix is a Formula One Championship race which first took place at the Bahrain International Circuit on 4 April 2004.The Bahrain Grand Prix, sponsored by Gulf Air, made history as the first Formula One Grand Prix to be held in the Middle East...
was moved to the end of the season after the 2011 race2011 Bahrain Grand PrixThe 2011 Bahrain Grand Prix was scheduled to be the opening round for the 2011 Formula One season. Planned to be held on 13 March 2011 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, it was postponed on 21 February 2011 due to local civil unrest...
was postponed, and later cancelled. The race was scheduled for a November date to give the government more time to ensure civil order2011 Bahraini uprisingThe 2011 Bahraini uprising, sometimes called the February 14 Revolution is a series of demonstrations, amounting to a sustained campaign of civil resistance, in the Persian Gulf country of Bahrain...
was restored, but was later brought forward to April. At the 2011 Japanese Grand Prix2011 Japanese Grand PrixThe 2011 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 9 October 2011 at the Suzuka Circuit in Suzuka, Japan. It was the fifteenth round of the 2011 Formula One season, and the thirty-eighth time the Japanese Grand Prix had been held...
, several teams expressed concern over the state of the race in the face of renewed violence in the country. These concerns were taken to the November meeting of the Formula One Commission. - The German Grand PrixGerman Grand PrixThe German Grand Prix is an annual automobile race.Because Germany was banned from taking part in international events after World War II, the German GP only became part of the Formula One World Championship in 1951...
will return to HockenheimHockenheimHockenheim is a German town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, about 20 km south of Mannheim. It is located in the Upper Rhine valley on the touristical theme routes Baden Asparagus Route and Bertha Benz Memorial Route...
after the 2011 German Grand Prix2011 German Grand PrixThe 2011 German Grand Prix, formally the Formula 1 Großer Preis Santander von Deutschland 2011, was a Formula One motor race that was held on 24 July 2011, at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany. It was the tenth round of the 2011 Formula One season. The race, contested over 60 laps, was won...
was held at the NürburgringNürburgringThe Nürburgring is a motorsport complex around the village of Nürburg, Germany. It features a modern Grand Prix race track built in 1984, and a much longer old North loop track which was built in the 1920s around the village and medieval castle of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains. It is located about...
, in line with the event's policy of alternating between venues. - The Korean Grand PrixKorean Grand PrixThe Korean Grand Prix is a Formula One race held in South Korea. After months of speculation, on October 2, 2006 it was confirmed that the event would actually take place in 2010, and would be hosted by the Korean International Circuit. It has also been revealed that the race will be promoted by a...
was to be brought forward from October to April, similar to the move that the Chinese Grand PrixChinese Grand PrixThe Chinese Grand Prix is a round of the Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, designed by Hermann Tilke. When completed in 2004, it was the most expensive Formula One circuit facility, costing $240 million...
made in 20092009 Formula One seasonThe 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....
. However, the July calendar brought the Indian Grand PrixIndian Grand PrixThe Indian Grand Prix is a race in the calendar of the FIA Formula One World Championship. It is currently held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India...
forward to April, leaving the Korean event in its October date. The Indian race was later moved back to 28 October, with the Korean race remaining in its 14 October date. - The Turkish Grand PrixTurkish Grand PrixThe Turkish Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race that was first held on August 21, 2005 as part of the 2005 Formula One season. It is held at the newly built Istanbul Park Circuit, constructed by famous German civil engineer Hermann Tilke...
was removed from the calendar after Formula One Management and the event organisers could not agree on a renewed contract. In August 2011, organisers of the race revealed that they were negotiating with Bernie EcclestoneBernie EcclestoneBernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
to resume their place on the calendar. However, the race was absent from the final calendar released in August. - The United States Grand PrixUnited States Grand PrixThe United States Grand Prix is a motor race which has been run on and off since 1908, when it was known as the American Grand Prize. The race later became part of the Formula One World Championship. Over 41 editions, the race has been held at nine locations, most recently in 2007 at the...
was originally scheduled to be held in June, but was moved back to become the penultimate event of the season in response to concerns over the heat of the Texas summer. - Organisers of the Abu Dhabi Grand PrixAbu Dhabi Grand PrixThe Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is a Formula One race. It was announced in early 2007 at the Abu Dhabi F1 Festival in the United Arab Emirates...
had originally planned to reconfigure the Yas Marina Circuit for the 2011 race2011 Abu Dhabi Grand PrixThe 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was the eighteenth and penultimate round of the 2011 Formula One season. It was held on 13 November 2011 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, a man-made island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It was the third running of the Abu Dhabi...
following heavy criticism over a lack of overtaking in 20102010 Abu Dhabi Grand PrixThe 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 14 November 2010 at the Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island, an island on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. It was the 19th and last round of the 2010 Formula One season...
. However, they later elected to postpone the circuit modifications until 2012 in the face of rule changes for the 2011 season that they felt directly addressed the criticisms levelled at the circuit, promising the speedy introduction of changes if the 2011 race proved disappointing. - Organisers of the Korean Grand PrixKorean Grand PrixThe Korean Grand Prix is a Formula One race held in South Korea. After months of speculation, on October 2, 2006 it was confirmed that the event would actually take place in 2010, and would be hosted by the Korean International Circuit. It has also been revealed that the race will be promoted by a...
have expressed dissatisfaction over the terms of their contract with Bernie EcclestoneBernie EcclestoneBernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
and Formula One Management, particularly with regards to the cost of race-sanctioning fees, and have sought to renegotiate the contract, seeking more-favourable terms. However, Ecclestone ruled out renegotiations, stating that the initial negotiation process had been difficult enough, and that the organisers were aware of the terms of the contract when they first signed it. Ecclestone has stated that in the event that race organisers can not pay sanctioning fees, the Korean Grand Prix will be removed from the calendar.
Rule changes
- The 2011 season2011 Formula One seasonThe 2011 Formula One season was the 62nd FIA Formula One season. The original calendar consisted of twenty rounds, including the inaugural running of the Indian Grand Prix before the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pirelli returned to the sport as tyre supplier for all teams, taking over...
saw teams running "off-throttle blown diffusers", which created downforce by forcing fuel through the engine to produce exhaust gasses and directing it over the diffuser when the driver was not applying the throttle. This concept was initially thought to be banned from the 2011 British Grand Prix2011 British Grand PrixThe 2011 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race, held on 10 July 2011, at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire and Buckinghamshire, England, and won by Fernando Alonso....
onwards, but after much controversy were not. The regulations in 2012 will be governing the design of the exhaust. The teams have already agreed to strict constraints on exhaust tailpipe position which will result in them exiting the bodywork much higher up and no longer in the vicinity of the diffuser. In October 2011, a clarification to the amended rules was issued, effectively banning "exotic" engine maps; in November, further amendments were introduced, completely banning the practice of blowing exhaust gasses over parts of the car to improve downforce, following a bid by several teams to allow it under certain conditions. - After being banned in 20092009 Formula One seasonThe 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....
, in-season testing will return in 2012, with plans for a test to be held at MugelloMugello CircuitMugello Circuit is a race track in the Mugello region of Italy near Florence. Its length is . It has 15 turns and a long straight.Grand Prix motorcycle racing host an annual event here . Also, the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters hold an annual event. The track is property of Scuderia Ferrari which...
on May 1 ahead of the European leg of the 2012 championship. - At the September 2011 meeting of the FIAFédération Internationale de l'AutomobileThe Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
World Motor Sport Council, representatives of the member organisations voted to amend the rules for double-waved yellow flags in all FIA-sanctioned championships. The amendment means that double-waved flags will be shown when a track marshall is working on or beside the circuit. - Technical regulations for 2012 include the reprofiling of the car's nose. The pre-2012 regulations allow the nose to be as high as 62.5cm above ground, but the revisions to the sporting code lower the maximum allowable height to 55cm.
- Faced with several constructors applying for name changes, teams have requested a clearer definition of what constitutes a "constructor". Under the rules set out in the Sixth Concorde Agreement, several teams have been forced to compete under names that do not necessarily reflect their ownership – such as SauberSauberSauber F1 Team is a Swiss Formula One team. It was founded in the 1970s by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in 1993....
competing as "BMW Sauber" in 20102010 Formula One seasonThe 2010 Formula One season was the 61st Formula One season of World Championship motor racing competition. Red Bull Racing won its maiden Constructors' Championship with a one-two finish in Brazil, while Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' Championship after winning the final race...
, despite BMWBMWBayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
withdrawing from the sport at the end of the 2009 season2009 Formula One seasonThe 2009 Formula One season was the 60th FIA Formula One World Championship season. The season took place over 17 rounds, and started with the on 29 March 2009. It ended on 1 November 2009 with the inaugural ....
– in order to preserve their status as a current constructor and their claim to a share of the television rights paid to teams that placed in the top ten in the final World Constructors' Championship standings. - At the meeting for the Formula One Commission in Geneva in November 2011, the use of heliumHeliumHelium is the chemical element with atomic number 2 and an atomic weight of 4.002602, which is represented by the symbol He. It is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, inert, monatomic gas that heads the noble gas group in the periodic table...
in air guns used to change tyres during pit stops was banned. Despite increasing the rotation speed of the air guns by up to 30%, the use of helium was deemed to be too expensive with little competitive gain.
Other changes
- In July 2011, a joint broadcasting deal for Formula OneFormula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
in the United Kingdom was announced between Sky SportsSky SportsSky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
and the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. The new arrangement runs from 2012 until 2018 and will see all practice, qualifying sessions and races being broadcast by Sky, with the BBC televising qualifying and the race live from ten selected venues and extended highlights of the remaining ten on a delayed broadcast. The announcement was controversial, with early promises that the races would be uninterrupted by commercials doing little to quell the highly negative reactions from fans and observers. It had previously been believed that the terms of the Concorde AgreementConcorde AgreementThe Concorde Agreement is a contract between the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile , the Formula One teams and the Formula One Administration which dictates the terms by which the teams compete in races and take their share of the television revenues and prize money...
prevented Formula One from being broadcast exclusively on pay-per-view, but the Agreement did not prevent a shared broadcast such as the proposal made by Sky Sports and the BBC. The controversial nature of the broadcast deal led to the House of Commons' Culture, Media and Sport Committee calling Bernie EcclestoneBernie EcclestoneBernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...
and "senior BBC figures" including director-general Mark ThompsonMark ThompsonMark John Thompson is Director-General of the BBC, a post he has held since 2004, and a former chief executive of Channel 4...
to answer questions over the details of the broadcasting arrangement. In November 2011, Sky announced plans to launch an additional channel, Sky Sports F1 HD, specifically for Formula One coverage.