FIA Release Final GP Timetable

The inaugural Bahrain Grand Prix will take off at 14:30 local time and the United States Grand Prix will start at 12:00 local. Those are among the schedule changes for the 2004 season, announced by the FIA this week.

China, hosting its first Formula One Grand Prix this year, will start the race at 14:00 local time - 06:00 am GMT. The race, around the 5.451 km-long Shanghai circuit, will run for 56 laps and a total of 305.256 kms. The 5.417 km-long Sakhir circuit in Bahrain will stage a 57-laps race and a total of 308.769 km.

Other changes from last year include a different start hour for the Canadian Grand Prix (12:30 local time; 16:30 GMT); one more lap for the Spanish Grand Prix around the modified Barcelona track (66 laps instead of 65); and new starting hour for the Brazilian Grand Prix (15:00 local time; 18:00 GMT).

The weekend timetable will consist of two, one-hour practice sessions on Friday, starting at 11:00 and 14:00 local time. These sessions will take place at all Grands Prix, except for Monaco - where the practice sessions take place on Thursday.

Saturday's schedule for all Grands Prix include two, 45-minutes practice sessions, starting at 10:00 and 11:15 local time, and qualifying session which will begin at 14:00 local. During the United States and Canadian Grand Prix, the Saturday timetable for practice and qualifying will be one hour earlier.

Sunday's race will begin on 14:00 local time at all races, except for Malaysia (15:00 local), Bahrain (14:30 local), Canada (12:30 local), United States (12:00 local),

Britain (13:00 local), Japan (14:30 local) and Brazil (15:00).

See the 2004 Calendar for full details