RML
AD Group Le Mans News 2009
The 2009 Calendar.
Issued November 17th 2008
ACO
Confirms 2009 Calendar
The ACO has published a revised and, one hopes, definitive
calendar for 2009.
The
Le Mans Series will comprise five races and one official
test session in 2009, with four familiar "classic"
events, but the disappearance once again of Monza from the
list. In the place of this iconic Italian track comes a
brand new circuit in the form of the Autódromo
Internacional do Algarve, on the edge of the town of
Portimão in Portugal. This will not only be a new
venue for 2009, but it will also feature the season's only
"night" race. The full calendar, including the
Le Mans 24 Hours, is as follows:
2009
Calendar
8-9
March |
Official
ACO Test |
Paul
Ricard, France |
2-day
test |
3-4-5
April |
Catalunya
1000 Kilometres |
Barcelona,
Spain |
6
hours |
22-23
April |
LMS
supplementary test |
Bugatti
Circuit, Le Mans |
2-day
test |
8-9-10
May |
Spa
1000 Kilometres |
Spa-Francorchamps,
Belgium |
6
hours |
31
May |
Le
Mans Official test |
Sarthe
Circuit, Le Mans |
1-day
test |
13-14
June |
Le
Mans 24 Hours |
Sarthe
Circuit, Le Mans |
24
Hours |
31
July/1-2 August |
Algarve
1000 Kilometres |
Portimão
Circuit, Portugal |
6
hours, "night" race |
21-22-23
August |
Nürburgring
1000 Kilometres |
Nürburgring,
Germany |
6
hours |
11-12-13
September |
Silverstone
1000 Kilometres |
Silverstone,
England |
6
hours |
Please note the revised date for the Nürburgring 1000
Kilometres.
Further details can be found on the official Le
Mans Series Website
More
information about the Autódromo Internacional
do Algarve can be found on the official
circuit website or on Wikkipedia.
Rumour
has been rife in recent weeks concerning the fate of the
official Le Mans test day, currently scheduled for May 31st
2009. However, for the time being, the test is still expected
to go ahead as planned, but if the economic situation declines
further, or the public perception of motorsport in relation
to fuel usage becomes negative, then it is believed that
the ACO may introduce changes to the way the test is run,
and perhaps even the date itself.