After the incredibly annoying clash that we had to endure this season, it looks like fans of both F1 and Le Mans are going to have the same problem in 2017.
Nico Hülkenberg’s win in 2015 sparked interest in the race from fellow F1 drivers but this year, the FIA put the new European Grand Prix at Baku on the same weekend, meaning any chance of current F1 drivers competing in the endurance classic had gone.
Perhaps even worse though was the timing, with F1 qualifying beginning at the start of Le Mans and then the European Grand Prix starting at exactly the same time Le Mans was set to finish, meaning a lot of F1 fans (including Sebastian Vettel) were unable to watch the dramatic conclusion to the race.
So the FIA will have learned from their mistakes right? Of course not! As an early draft of next year’s calendar shows that Baku will once again clash with the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Equally as stupid sees the return of the race in Azerbaijan being back-to-back with Canada which proved to be a nightmare for those travelling between the two. But you know, they couldn’t possible move the European Grand Prix a week back could they?
Anyway, here’s a look at how the 2017 calendar is shaping up.
March 26 – Australia
April 2 – China
April 16 – Bahrain
April 30 – Russia
May 14 – Spain
May 28 – Monaco
June 11 – Canada
June 18 – Azerbaijan
July 2 – Austria
July 9 – Britain
July 23 – Hungary
July 30 – Germany
August 27 – Belgium
September 3 – Italy
September 17 – Singapore
October 1 – Malaysia
October 8 – Japan
October 22 – United States
October 29 – Mexico
November 12 – Brazil
November 26 – Abu Dhabi