F1 has released a record-breaking 23-race provisional calendar for 2022 season that is set to be covered across just 36 weeks.
The breathless schedule starts and ends in the Middle East, with Bahrain providing the season opener on March 20, and Abu Dhabi closing the campaign exactly eight months later on November 20(subject to change).
F1 squeezes the remaining 21 races with a trio of triple-headers, which will frustrate a number of teams, who already raised their concerns during two 2021 triple headers.
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl, Red Bull boss Christian Horner and Hass counterpart Guenther Steiner made clear they no longer wanted triple-headers on the calendar due to the demands placed on staff, particularly those on the road.
Triple-headers are back in 2022
The first of those is across the first three weekends of July, with Silverstone hosting the opener on July 3, followed by Austria and then either France or Imola, with the former the favorite at this stage.
Like this year, the second half of the season will commence with a visit to Belgium, the Netherlands and Monza, followed by a weekend off before the final and most demanding triple-header of Russia, Singapore or Turkey, and Japan.
Singapore’s place is in doubt due to its stringent Covid-control measures, although it is hoped the situation will have eased significantly to allow it to return after a two-year absence.
Australia also finds itself in a similar position. At present, it is slated to be the third race on the schedule on April 10 following a Bahrain-Saudi Arabia opening double-header.
But the country’s vice-like policy on the pandemic means it could be positioned later in the year, as was due to be the case this season before its eventual cancellation.
In opting to end the calendar on November 20, there is wiggle room for F1 to slot the Melbourne race into a stand-alone mid-November date and push back the planned season-ending double-header in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, with the latter on December 4.
Pre-season testing will be back to Barcelona
After missing out in the 2021 season, Barcelona will be back to host first pre-season test between February 23-25. While Bahrain will host the second pre-season test on March 11-13 before regular season kick-starts on March 20.
With the new cars set to make their debut in the pre-season, six day of testing will be crucial for all the teams and teams performance will be watched closely by media and fans.
Provisional 2022 Formula One calendar
- March 20 – Bahrain
- March 27 – Saudi Arabia
- April 10 – Australia
- April 24 – China
- May 8 – United States [Miami]
- May 22 – Spain
- May 29 – Monaco
- June 12 – Azerbaijan
- June 19 – Canada
- July 3 – Britain
- July 10 – Austria
- July 17 – France or Italy [Imola]
- July 31 – Hungary
- August 28 – Belgium
- September 4 – Netherlands
- September 11 – Italy [Monza]
- September 25 – Russia
- October 2 – Singapore or Turkey
- October 9 – Japan
- October 23 – United States [Austin]
- October 30 – Mexico
- November 13 – Brazil
- November 20 – Abu Dhabi
[…] A draft calendar has been aired, with Bahrain and Abu Dhabi starting and closing the season, which is set to be ratified at a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council on October 15. […]