Millennium Calendar Confirmed.

The World Motorsport Council has confirmed a 17-race Formula One championship calendar for next season, following a meeting with the FIA in Paris yesterday [Wednesday].


The schedule is more-or-less as revealed some months ago, with the season starting in Australia in March and running through to Malaysia in October. As expected, the French, Monaco and European grands prix make the biggest changes of date, with the first USGP for nine years slotting in between Italy and Japan in September.


Surprisingly, the Belgian Grand Prix also appears on the list, despite on-going discussions regarding the restrictions on tobacco advertising which blighted this year's event. The national court has moved to rescind the total ban implemented during the summer, bringing Belgium into line with the rest of the European Union, and allowing the race to take its usual end of August slot.


Despite the apparently final nature of the calendar, the dates for races in Britain, Austria, San Marino, France, Europe and Spain are only expected to be fully confirmed in three weeks time.



Formula One World Championship 2000.


March 12 Australia

March 26 Brazil

April 09 San Marino*

April 23 Spain*

May 07 France*

May 21 Europe*

June 04 Monaco

June 18 Canada

July 02 Britain*

July 16 Austria*

July 30 Germany

August 13 Hungary

August 27 Belgium

September 10 Italy

September 24 United States

October 08 Japan

October 22 Malaysia


[* Subject to final confirmation by FIA]