The calendar for the second FIA Formula 2 Championship season has been released, and it sees the series racing at the Circuit Paul Ricard and Sochi Autodrom for the first time.
There is one additional race weekend on the 2018 calendar, with only the stand-alone race at the Circuito de Jerez dropping off the schedule, although the one surprise is that Formula 2 will not be racing at the Hockenheimring in Germany despite the circuit returning to the Formula 1 calendar next year.
The season begins again in Bahrain at the beginning of April before racing in Azerbaijan, which switches next season from its June slot to the final weekend of April, with the round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya following on the second weekend of May.
Formula 2 then hits the streets of Monaco at the end of May before following in the footsteps of Formula 1 with three rounds in as many weeks, with visits to Paul Ricard in France, the Red Bull Ring in Austria and Silverstone in Great Britain.
The Hungaroring hosts the final round before the summer break at the end of July, with the season resuming with visits to the legendary venues of Spa-Francorchamps and the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, while the race at the Sochi Autodrom runs on the final weekend of September.
The season once again concludes in Abu Dhabi, however there is a two-month gap between the Russian race and the visit to the Yas Marina Circuit.
“I am pleased to announce that next year’s calendar will hold twelve events alongside Formula 1,” said FIA Formula 2 CEO Bruno Michel. “One of our mission statements is to prepare young drivers to the next step: F1.
“Having all of our race weekends take place with F1 will help our drivers to learn as many F1 tracks as possible, but also to prove their race crafts directly in front of the F1 paddock.
“The 2018 calendar includes two new venues: Le Castellet and Sochi. It features one more event compared to this year, and is a good balance between racing on F1 circuits in Europe and overseas.”
