New Jersey race organisers continue to insist that the event will go ahead,
although there is widespread scepticism within Formula One that the proposed
road circuit can be modified in time.
It may be that the release of a draft calendar is designed to spur the
Americans into action. Certainly nothing is set in stone at this stage.
Three races – Korea, Russia and Mexico – appear with asterisks next to their
names indicating that they are still subject to confirmation of
track/contract.
If all 21 races do go ahead, the 2014 season would be the busiest in Formula
One history.
Meanwhile, speculation over next year’s race seats continued on Thursday, with
Lotus’s Kimi Raikkonen again linked with what would be a sensational return
to Maranello to race alongside Fernando Alonso.
The Spaniard, for his part, dismissed suggestions that he had fallen out with
Ferrari, saying that he intended to see out the remaining 3½ years of his
contract and possibly extend beyond that. “I want to finish my career at the
best team in the world, which is Ferrarii,”
Alonso said.
DRAFT 2014 CALENDAR
March 16 – Australia (Melbourne)
March 23 – Malaysia (Sepang)
April 6 – China (Shanghai)
April 13 – Korea* (Korea International Circuit)
April 27 – Bahrain (Sakhir)
May 11 – Spain (Barcelona)
May 25 – Monaco (Monaco)
June 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)
September 7 – Italy (Monza)
September 21 – Singapore (Marina Bay)
October 5 – Japan (Suzuka)
October 19 – Russia* (Sochi)
October 26 – Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)
November 9 – Mexico* (Mexico City)
November 16 – USA (Circuit of the Americas)
November 30 – Brazil (Interlagos)
* (subject to confirmation of track/contract)