Don't miss out on our new 3-D interactive circuit guides. You will need to download Flash player, version 9 or higher in order to view them. You can find out more about the Flash player, including how to to download it for free

Venue: Albert Park, Melbourne
Date: Sunday 29 March, 0700 BST
Lap length: 3.295 miles
Race laps: 58
Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:24.125 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 2. Nick Heidfeld (BMW) 3. Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota)
Fascinating fact: The race returned to Melbourne in 1996 when Martin Brundle was involved in a terrifying crash on the first lap, which split his Jordan car in two. Amazingly, the British driver was able to run back to the pits to collect the spare car for the restart - only to spin off at the same corner on the first lap.

MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX

Venue: Sepang, Kuala Lumpur
Date: Sunday 5 April, 1000 BST
Lap length: 3.444 miles
Race laps: 56
Lap record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams-BMW) 1:34.223 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari), 2. Robert Kubica (BMW), 3. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes)
Fascinating fact: Kuala Lumpur literally means "muddy estuary". The city's race track was built on a 260-hectare swamp, a factor some have blamed for the increasing number of bumps on the track. Some people claim the circuit may be literally sinking.

CHINESE GRAND PRIX

Venue: Shanghai International Circuit
Date: Sunday 19 April, 0800 BST
Lap length: 3.387 miles
Race laps: 56
Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1.32.238 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 2. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Fascinating fact: Spain's Fernando Alonso has never finished lower than fourth in the five races in Shanghai, making him the most successful driver there, just ahead of Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn has only once failed to finish in the top four, in 2006 when he retired.

BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Sakhir, Manama
Date: Sunday 26 April, 1300 BST
Lap length: 3.363 miles
Race laps: 57
Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:30.252 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 2. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 3. Robert Kubica (BMW)
Fascinating fact: Organisers ban the spraying of champagne on the podium, instead providing drivers with a local non-alcoholic beverage known as warrd - a blend of pomegranate, bitter orange and rosewater.

SPANISH GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Circuit de Catalunya, Montmelo
Date: Sunday 10 May, 1300 BST
Lap length: 2.892 miles
Race laps: 66
Lap record: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:21.670 (2008)
2008 top three: 1. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 2. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 3. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)
Fascinating fact: The pole sitter has gone on to win the race for the last eight years. The first car on the grid has only failed to top the podium four times in 17 races.

MONACO GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo
Date: Sunday 24 May, 1300 BST
Lap length: 2.075 miles
Race laps: 75
Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:14.439 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 2. Robert Kubica (BMW) 3. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
Fascinating fact: Ayrton Senna took over from Graham Hill as King of Monaco when he recorded a record sixth win in 1993. Describing the circuit, the Brazilian said: "Sometimes it takes so much concentration, so much energy, that you see nothing else except the narrow road, the barriers, the walls and the wheels."

TURKISH GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Istanbul Park
Date: Sunday 7 June, 1300 BST
Lap length: 3.317 miles
Race laps: 58
Lap record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams-BMW) 1:24.770 (2005)
2008 top three: 1. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 2. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Fascinating fact: During a GP2 race in 2008, Ayrton Senna's nephew Bruno ran into a stray dog. The collision ripped off the front wing and right front suspension of Senna's car and killed the dog.

BRITISH GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Silverstone, Northamptonshire
Date: Sunday 21 June, 1300 BST
Lap length: 3.194 miles
Race laps: 60
Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:18.739 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 2. Nick Heidfeld (BMW) 3. Rubens Barrichello (Honda)
Fascinating fact: Keke Rosberg drove his Williams at an average of 160.938mph to claim pole in 1985, making Silverstone the world's fastest circuit at the time. It later emerged he had a slow puncture.

GERMAN GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Nurburgring
Date: Sunday 12 July, 1300 BST
Lap length: 3.199 miles
Race laps: 60
Lap record: Michael Schumacher (Ferrari) 1:29.468 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 2. Nelson Piquet Jr (Renault) 3. Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
Fascinating fact: The original Nurburgring was 14 miles long and included 172 corners. The fastest lap at the final Grand Prix there in 1976 was more than seven minutes, while James Hunt won the 14-lap race in one hour 41 minutes 42.7 seconds.

HUNGARIAN GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Hungaroring, Budapest
Date: Sunday 26 July, 1300 BST
Lap length: 2.722 miles
Race laps: 70
Lap record: Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:19.068 (2008)
2008 top three: 1. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes) 2. Timo Glock (Toyota) 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Fascinating fact: Damon Hill produced one of the most famous near-wins in F1 history in 1997, passing Michael Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve to take the lead in his unfancied Arrows. But he suffered a mechanical failure after the last round of pitstops and had to settle for second.

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Valencia, Spain
Date: Sunday 23 August, 1300 BST
Lap length: 3.367 miles
Race laps: 57
Lap record: Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1.38.708 (2008)
2008 top three: 1. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 2. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 3. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber)
Fascinating fact: Paella originated in the province of Valencia. After leaving Renault for McLaren in 2007, Spanish star Fernando Alonso admitted driving for the team had become like "eating the same plate of paella every night". He was ready for another helping in 2008 after an ill-fated season with McLaren.

BELGIAN GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Spa-Francorchamps
Date: Sunday 30 August, 1300 BST
Lap length: 4.352 miles
Race laps: 44
Lap record: Kimi Raikkonen (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:45.108 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 2. Nick Heidfeld (BMW) 3. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) (Hamilton demoted from first after 25-second penalty)
Fascinating fact: In 1998, an incredible 13 cars were involved in a first-lap pile-up as the race began in torrential rain. Only eight finished, Damon Hill taking advantage of the carnage to hand Jordan their first race win.

ITALIAN GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Monza
Date: Sunday 13 September, 1300 BST
Lap length: 3.510 miles
Race laps: 53
Lap record: Ruebsn Barrichello (Ferrari) 1:21.046 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Sebastian Vettel (Toro Rosso-Ferrari) 2. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes) 3. Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber)
Fascinating fact: Nicknamed the Pista Magica in Italy, Monza is the quickest circuit in F1, with cars reaching a top speed of 215 mph.

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Marina Bay
Date: Sunday 27 September, 1300 BST
Lap length: 3.148 miles
Race laps: 61
Lap record: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:45.599 (2008)
2008 top three: 1. Fernando Alonso (Renault) 2. Nico Rosberg (Williams-Toyota) 3. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes)
Fascinating fact: The circuit takes in the iconic Raffles Hotel, where the gin-based cocktail the Singapore Sling was invented at the start of the 20th century. It will set you back more than £10 (as of February 2009) to sip one at the Raffles.

JAPANESE GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Suzuka
Date: Sunday 4 October, 0500 BST
Lap length: 3.608 miles
Race laps: 53
Lap record: Kimi Raikonnen (Ferrari) 1:31.426 (2008)
2008 top three (at Fuji): 1. Fernando Alonso (Renault) 2. Robert Kubica (BMW) 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Fascinating fact: Suzuka is the only F1 race track that follows a figure-of-eight format, where the circuit passes over itself - it is also sited in a theme park.

BRAZILIAN GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Interlagos, Sao Paulo
Date: Sunday 18 October, 1600 BST
Lap length: 2.677 miles
Race laps: 71
Lap record: Juan Pablo Montoya (Williams-BMW) 1:11.473 (2004)
2008 top three: 1. Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 2. Fernando Alonso (Renault) 3. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Fascinating fact: The circuit's official name is Autodromo Carlos Pace. The appropriately monikered Brazilian claimed his only Grand Prix win at Interlagos in 1972, which also marked Graham Hill's last race. Both men died in air accidents, Hill in 1975 and Pace two years later.

ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX

- Static graphics for further circuits to follow at a later date.

Venue: Yas Marina
Date: Sunday 1 November, 1100 BST
Lap length: 3.451 miles
Race laps: 55
Lap record: N/A
2008 top three: N/A
Fascinating fact: The marina has space for more than 150 yachts and can even accommodate six 200ft-long monsters - that's the length of more than six double-decker buses.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version