Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari SF90 in action during the Chinese Grand Prix of the Formula 1 World Championship in Shanghai, China, April 14, 2019. /CFP
Formula 1 has unveiled a record 24-race calendar for the 2023 season, with the much-anticipated Chinese Grand Prix set to return after a three-year absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The calendar, which was approved on Tuesday by the World Motor Sport Council, will be the most extensive in F1 history with a total of 24 races across an eighth-month period. The season begins in Bahrain on March 5 and concludes in Abu Dhabi on November 26.
An inaugural Las Vegas GP will be the penultimate round on November 18. It is one of three races to be hosted by the U.S. in the new campaign, with the other two being staged in Miami and Austin.
Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes reacts after winning Chinese Grand Prix of the Formula 1 World Championship in Shanghai, China, April 14, 2019. /CFP
The Chinese GP, last raced in the 2019 season, has been slotted in for April 16, while the Qatar GP will also make a return on October 8 after a one-year hiatus because of a scheduling conflict posed by the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Making way for 2023 is the French GP, whose contract with F1 expires at the end of the 2022 season. The Belgian GP, however, retained its place amid rumors of its uncertain future.
F1 President Stefano Domenicali declared that the record number of 24 races for 2023 was a reflection of the fact that "Formula 1 has unprecedented demand to host races and it is important we get the balance right for the entire sport."
A decal of the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023 is shown with digital signs on the Las Vegas Strip at the Boulevard Pool at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas in Nevada, U.S., March 30, 2022 . /CFP
"We are very pleased with the strong momentum Formula 1 continues to experience and it is great news that we will be able to bring our passionate fans a mix of exciting new locations such as Las Vegas to the Championship with much loved venues across Europe, Asia and the Americas," read a statement from Domenicali.
"The addition of new venues and the retention of traditional events underlines the FIA's sound stewardship of the sport," FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem added. "It is further evidence of the growth and appeal of the sport on a global scale."
2023 F1 calendar in full
March 5: Sakhir, Bahrain
March 19: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
April 2: Melbourne, Australia
April 16: Shanghai, China
April 30: Baku, Azerbaijan
May 7: Miami, U.S.
May 21: Imola, Italy
May 28: Monte Carlo, Monaco
June 4: Barcelona, Spain
June 18: Montreal, Canada
July 2: Spielberg, Austria
July 9: Silverstone, England
July 23: Hungary, Budapest
July 30: Spa, Belgium
August 27: Zandvoort, Netherlands
September 3: Monza, Italy
September 17: Marina Bay, Singapore
September 24: Suzuka, Japan
October 8: Losail, Qatar
October 22: Austin, U.S.
October 29: Mexico City, Mexico
November 5: Sao Paulo, Brazil
November 18: Las Vegas, U.S.
November 26: Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi