Inaugural Indian GP to take F1′s 2011 calendar to 20 races

The 2011 Formula 1 season will feature a record 20 Grands Prix, with the inaugural Indian Grand Prix extending this year’s calendar by one race.

The FIA finally published the final version of the 2011 calendar on Wednesday, and it remains very similar to this year’s with the season set to kick off in Bahrain on 13 March.

There are four back-to-back races next season with the first coming early at Malaysia (10 April) and China (17 April). The Turkish Grand Prix has the honour of being the first European race of the season on 8 May instead of the Spanish Grand Prix which will take place on 22 May.

July sees no changes with the British Grand Prix on 10 July followed by the German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring two weeks later, and the Hungarian Grand Prix a week after that.

The traditional four-week summer break in August remains with the Belgian Grand Prix taking place on 28 August – the only race that month.

The Indian Grand Prix slots into the traditional late-season Asian series, with races in Singapore, Japan and Korea ahead of the inaugural Indian race on 30 October, subject to homologation of the circuit.

Abu Dhabi will no longer be the final race of the season as it swaps places with Brazil, with the season ending on 27 November at Interlagos.

2011 Formula 1 calendar:

13 March: Bahrain
27 March: Australia
10 April: Malaysia
17 April: China
08 May: Turkey
22 May: Spain
29 May: Monaco
12 June: Canada
26 June: Europe (Valencia)
10 July: Great Britain
24 July: Germany (Nürburgring)
31 July: Hungary
28 August: Belgium
11 September: Italy
25 September: Singapore
09 October: Japan
16 October: Korea
30 October: India
13 November: Abu Dhabi
27 November: Brazil