Australia to host first race of 2025 as Formula 1 calendar for next season confirmed; Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races moved back to April due to Ramadan; first race on March 16, with season finale Abu Dhabi on December 7
Friday 12 April 2024 18:51, UK
Formula 1 has confirmed a 24-race schedule for 2025 that will see the season start in Australia for the first time since 2019.
The 2025 calendar features the same 24 circuits as F1's 2024 schedule, which was the longest in the sport's history, but there have been changes to the order for the world championship's 75th anniversary season.
Bahrain has hosted the opening race for the last four years, but the timing of Ramadan next year means the Sakhir race, along with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, have been pushed back to April.
That means Australia, which was last scheduled to hold the opening race in 2020 before the start of the coronavirus pandemic saw the event cancelled, will step in to host from March 14-16 on a weekend where Lewis Hamilton will make his Ferrari debut.
F1 president Stefano Domenicali said: "2025 will be a special year as we celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the FIA Formula One World Championship, and it's that legacy and experience that allows us to deliver such a strong calendar.
"Once again, we'll visit 24 incredible venues around the world, delivering top class racing, hospitality, and entertainment, which will be enjoyed by millions of fans worldwide."
In a reversal from their running order in 2024, China will follow Australia as the second race before Japan continues in the spring spot it occupied for the first time this year.
With Ramadan over, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia follow with back-to-back races in April.
From there on, there are only minor tweaks to the 2024 calendar, with the Spanish Grand Prix - taking place in Barcelona for the final time before it switches to Madrid in 2026 - moved in front of the Canadian Grand Prix.
That makes Barcelona the final venue for one of two triple-headers during the 2025 season, with the preceding races in Imola and Monaco.
The British Grand Prix, scheduled for July 4-6 at Silverstone, is now part of a double - rather than triple - header, following on from the Austrian Grand Prix.
Another small change sees Belgium and Hungary swap places in the double-header that precedes the August summer break, with Budapest now hosting the last race, on August 3 ,before a four-week pause.
The races after the summer break, starting with the Dutch Grand Prix from August 29-31, run in the same order as in 2024, with the only change being a weekend off introduced between the Mexico City and Sao Paulo events to prevent the season ending with two triple-headers.
The final three races, however, are once more without pause, as Las Vegas hosts from November 20-22 before the season heads to Qatar and ends in Abu Dhabi on December 7.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem added: "The 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar, approved by the World Motor Sport Council, is a further illustration of our collective mission of meeting sustainability objectives through the regionalisation of events. While our focus is on the overall stability of Formula 1, we also have a shared duty to the environment and to the health and well-being of travelling staff.
"Formula One Management, under the direction of Stefano Domenicali, have produced a calendar which strikes a good blend of traditional circuits and modern venues."
Confirmation of which circuits will host an expected six Sprint weekends in 2025 will be provided at a later date.
Next up in 2024 is the return of the Chinese Grand Prix on April 19-21, which is also the first Sprint weekend of the season. You can watch every session live on Sky Sports F1 and steam every F1 race and more with a NOW Sports Month Membership - No contract, cancel anytime
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