ACO
Confirms 2009 Calendar
The
ACO has published a revised and, one hopes, definitive
calendar for 2009.
The
Le Mans Series will comprise five races and one
official test session in 2009, with four familiar
"classic" events, but the disappearance
once again of Monza from the list. In the place
of this iconic Italian track comes a brand new
circuit in the form of the Autódromo
Internacional do Algarve, on the edge of
the town of Portimão in Portugal. This
will not only be a new venue for 2009, but it
will also feature the season's only "night"
race. The full calendar, including the Le Mans
24 Hours, is as follows:
2009
Calendar
| 8-9
March |
Official
ACO Test |
Paul
Ricard, France |
2-day
test |
| 3-4-5
April |
Catalunya
1000 Kilometres |
Barcelona,
Spain |
6
hours |
| 22-23
April |
LMS
supplementary test |
Bugatti
Circuit, Le Mans |
2-day
test |
| 8-9-10
May |
Spa
1000 Kilometres |
Spa-Francorchamps,
Belgium |
6
hours |
| 31
May |
Le
Mans Official test |
Sarthe
Circuit, Le Mans |
1-day
test |
| 13-14
June |
Le
Mans 24 Hours |
Sarthe
Circuit, Le Mans |
24
Hours |
| 31
July/1-2 August |
Algarve
1000 Kilometres |
Portimão
Circuit, Portugal |
6
hours, "night" race |
| 21-22-23
August |
Nürburgring
1000 Kilometres |
Nürburgring,
Germany |
6
hours |
| 11-12-13
September |
Silverstone
1000 Kilometres |
Silverstone,
England |
6
hours |
Please note the revised date for the Nürburgring
1000 Kilometres.
Further details can be found on the official Le
Mans Series Website
More
information about the Autódromo Internacional
do Algarve can be found on the official
circuit website or on Wikkipedia.
Rumour
has been rife in recent weeks concerning the fate
of the official Le Mans test day, currently scheduled
for May 31st 2009. However, for the time being,
the test is still expected to go ahead as planned,
but if the economic situation declines further,
or the public perception of motorsport in relation
to fuel usage becomes negative, then it is believed
that the ACO may introduce changes to the way
the test is run, and perhaps even the date itself. |
