The brand new Speedcar Series will feature an eight-date, 16 race calendar on tracks across Asia and the Middle East for the championship's debut season, beginning on November 3.
Speedcar Series will be supported by the first-ever GP2 Asia championship at the five race meetings scheduled between the start of 2008, and the season finale on April 28. The racing weekends will be named "Grand Racing" events.
The inaugural Speedcar season will begin at the Bahrain International Circuit, before moving to the Dubai Autodrome on November 17 for the Dubai Motorsport Festival, with another venue to be confirmed on December 16.
The teams will return to action at the Dubai Autodrome on January 26 together with GP2 Asia, before making the trip to the Sentul Circuit, Indonesia, on February 17. Both series will then link up with the Formula One World Championship rounds at the Sepang Circuit, Malaysia, on March 22, and Bahrain on April 5. The first Speedcar Series season will come to a close at the Dubai Autodrome on April 12.
Benoit Lamonerie, Speedcar Series General Manager, said: "A great-deal of hard work has gone into putting this calendar together and it is a fantastic achievement by all those who have been involved in this project. May I pass my sincere thanks to all the circuit promoters who are welcoming us to their venues.
The combination of the cars, the region, the timing and the exciting names is sure to guarantee the success of Grand Racing events. Speedcar Series and GP2 Asia is a fantastic package, and will allow us to deliver first-class race meetings to all the motorsport fans in the Middle East and Asia."
Grand Racing Calendar 2007/2008*
1 03/11/2007 Bahrain International Circuit BHR Speedcar Series
2 17/11/2007 Dubai Autodrome UAE Speedcar Series
3 16/12/2007 tbc tbc Speedcar Series
4 26/01/2008 Dubai Autodrome UAE Speedcar Series + GP2 Asia
5 17/02/2008 Sentul International Track INA Speedcar Series + GP2 Asia
6 22/03/2008** Sepang International Circuit MAL Speedcar Series + GP2 Asia
7 05/04/2008** Bahrain International Circuit BHR Speedcar Series + GP2 Asia
8 12/04/2008 Dubai Autodrome UAE Speedcar Series + GP2 Asia
* Subject to FIA approval
** FIA Formula One World Championship event
www.speedcarseries.com
The Speedcar Series is a one-make stockcar-style championship featuring 24-identical 620bhp cars. The championship is based in Dubai, and will take place across Asia and the Middle East. The series will feature a mix of ex-Formula One and international drivers, with Jean Alesi, Johnny Herbert, Stefan Johansson, Narain Karthikeyan, Ukyo Katayama and Gianni Morbidelli already confirmed. A prize-fund of USD 3 million will be distributed to drivers at the end of the season, with the eventual champion receiving USD 600,000.
Speedcar Series and GP2 Asia Series will be based in Dubai, with the Grand Racing events run by Speedcar International.
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