Formula One: French Grand Prix back on calendar after a decade as FIA releases 2018 schedule

Paris: The French Grand Prix returns to the Formula One calendar in 2018 after a decade-long absence at Le Castellet’s Paul Ricard circuit near Marseille, motorsport’s governing body the FIA confirmed on Monday. [caption id=“attachment_3719297” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Getty images[/caption] France, home of the first ever Grand Prix in 1908, last held a leg of the F1 championship in 2008. Felipe Massa in a Ferrari won that race at Magny-Cours, when a major budget deficit was shouldered by the French state and local authorities. The Paul Ricard circuit, which will stage the race on 24 June next season, held 14 grand prix between 1971 and 1990, when French four-time world champion Alain Prost was victorious. Since 2002, the track’s shareholders have invested 80 million euros ($85.6 million) to bring it up to scratch. The circuit is named in honour of the man who used to bankroll it, the late industrialist who made his fortune from the pastis that bears his name.       Formula One world championship schedule for 2018 season, released on Monday: 25 March: Australia (Melbourne) 8 April: China (Shanghai) 15 April: Bahrain (Sakhir) 29 April: Azerbaijan (Baku) 13 May: Spain (Barcelona) 27 May: Monaco 10 June: Canada (Montreal) 24 June: France (Le Castellet) 1 July: Austria (Spielberg) 8 July: Britain (Silverstone) 22 July: Germany (Hockenheim) 29 July: Hungary (Budapest) 26 August: Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps) 2 September: Italy (Monza) 16 September: Singapore 30 September: Russia (Sochi) 7 October: Japan (Suzuka) 21 October: United States (Austin) 28 October: Mexico (Mexico City) 11 November: Brazil (Sao Paulo) 25 November: Abu Dhabi (Yas Marina)