Racing in the streets

New street races in Singapore and Valencia have been confirmed on an 18-race 2008 F1 schedule put together by Bernie Ecclestone. Valencia (left) will host the European GP in late August, while Singapore will run in September, between the end of the European season at Spa and the final ‘flyaway’ races in China, Japan and Brazil. Both the new venues were designed by Hermann Tilke, who has devised most of the recent F1 circuits.

Missing from the calendar is the US GP in Indianapolis, after Ecclestone failed to agree terms with circuit boss Tony George. The latter had been looking for a multi-year deal after the race had survived on a series of one-year contract extensions (see page 72).

The only other major change for 2008 is that Valencia has forced Turkey to switch from August to early May. The Brazilian finale will take place on November 2, which marks the latest finish since the final running of the Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide in 1995.