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Bogus FOTA 2010 Formula One Calendar ‘Leaked’? Melbourne Out, Adelaide In?

HOT ON THE HEELS of FOTA’s announced intent to establish a breakaway F1 series next year, a number of European media outlets (and an Australian one) are quoting from a leaked document outlining the calendar and track list for next year’s breakaway F1 seri


HOT ON THE HEELS of FOTA's announced intent to establish a breakaway F1 series next year, a number of European media outlets (and an Australian one) are quoting from a leaked document outlining the calendar and track list for next year's breakaway F1 series.

Most interesting... except that many are pointing to the Guardian as the source, but there is nothing on its website. The further trouble is, it seems there is not much credibility in 'leaked documents' these days (ask anyone who isn't currently hiding in a cupboard around Parliament House in Canberra).

The biggest er... news... for Australians is that - if the calendar is genuine - FOTA appears to have ditched Melbourne's Albert Park circuit in favour of Adelaide's old street course. The rest of the leaked 2010 calendar looks like a wishlist.

Here's what's alleged to be in the offing for the first FOTA-led season:

3 March - Buenos Aires, Argentina

21 March - Mexico City, Mexico

11 April - Jerez, Spain

25 April - Portimao, Portugal

2 May - Imola, Italy

23 May - Monte Carlo, Monaco

6 June - Montreal, Canada

13 June - Indianapolis, United States

1 July - Silverstone, United Kingdom

25 July - Magny-Cours, France

15 August - Laustizring, Germany

29 August - Helsinki, Finland

12 September - Monza, Italy

26 September - Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

10 October - Marina Bay, Singapore

24 October - Suzuka, Japan

8 November - Adelaide

So, rather than starting in Melbourne, the 'leaked' document purports a season finish in Adelaide. Indianapolis and Montreal are two other major destination changes, while the Argentine, Finnish and Mexican rounds would also be new additions to the race schedule.

Curiously, suspiciously, there's no Brazilian round, while Italy gets two rounds to itself. Spa-Francorchamps has also been dropped, reportedly as it has a contract with Bernie Ecclestone's Formula One Management until 2012.

But can this list be trusted?  It seems highly unlikely there would be any schedule of racing at this stage for the breakaway group with a final line-up of competing teams yet to be established.

And racing of this type is a huge logistical exercise, for the organisers, the teams and for the host cities... no-one just points at a map, circles a city and says, "Let's go there."

We'd put this one in the "suckered again!" category for any news media that released it. For the time being, we'd say Australia's F1 round isn't heading back to the City of Churches just yet (sorry Adelaide... you can all start breathing again).

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