Both Formula 2 and GP3 has unveiled expanded calendars for its 2018 seasons, with the junior categories set to follow F1 for the entirety of the year.
Rounds in France and Russia are added to the schedule, while the stand-alone round at Jerez held this October has been dropped. GP3 and F2 last hosted a round at the Sochi Autodrom in 2015.
These series will not visit Germany despite an expected return to the country for F1 in July.
For the second successive season, F2’s racing begins at Bahrain in April before ending in Abu Dhabi in November, and GP3 returns at Spain in May alongside the second-tier category before coming to a conclusion at the same November race.
F2 will race in 12 countries, while GP3 competes in nine, with F2 again racing alone at Bahrain, Azerbaijan and Monaco.
“Having all of our race weekends take place with F1 will help our drivers learn as many F1 tracks as possible, but also to prove their race craft directly in front of the paddock,” F2 and GP3 CEO Bruno Michel said.
“We are delighted to race for the first time at Le Castellet [France] and to return to Sochi once again, balancing the need to control costs and to provide a full [GP3] season for our teams and drivers, and to create more entertainment for the fans.”
F2 introduces a new F2-2018 chassis for next year’s contests, while GP3 uses the GP3-16 car for a third season before its expected ending to make way for the 2019 International F3 campaign.
2018 F2 calendar (subject to confirmation from World Motor Sport Council):
April 6-8 – Bahrain, April 27-29 – Azerbaijan, May 11-13 – Spain, May 25-27 – Monaco, June 22-24 – France, July 6-8 – Britain, July 27-29 – Hungary, August 24-26 – Belgium, August 31-September 2 – Italy, September 28-30 – Russia, November 23-25 – Abu Dhabi.
2018 GP3 calendar:
May 11-13 – Spain, June 22-24 – France, July 6-8 – Britain, July 27-29 – Hungary, August 24-26 – Belgium, August 31-September 2 – Italy, September 28-30 – Russia, November 23-25 – Abu Dhabi.
