Indian GP gets October date in 2011

As expected the Indian GP has been given an end of season date for 2011, as usual pending the homologation of the circuit.

However Bernie Ecclestone has chosen not to shuffle around the other flyaway races so the season will end with an unprecedented run of six events outside Europe. He has however taken the logical option of putting Japan and Korea back to back.

Brazil has relaced Abu Dhabi as last race on the unusually late date of November 27, presumably for the very obvious reason that India and Abu Dhabi are very close on the map.

Indeed this will be latest end to a season since 1963, when the South African GP was held on December28 – although qualifying for the January 1 1965 race was actually held in December…

Australia now stands alone, two weeks ahead of Malaysia, which makes little logistical sense for team personnel. However the later race is at least placed back to back with China.

 2011 F1 World Championship

13/03 Bahrain

27/03 Australia

10/04 Malaysia

17/04 China

08/05 Turkey

22/05 Spain

29/05 Monaco

12/06 Canada

26/06 Europe

10/07 Great Britain

24/07 Germany

31/07 Hungary

28/08 Belgium

11/09 Italy

25/09 Singapore

09/10 Japan

16/10 Korea

30/10 India*

13/11 Abu Dhabi

27/11 Brazil