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(Bloomberg) -- Formula One's first
night race will be held in Singapore in 2008 after the 18-Grands
Prix calendar was confirmed today by the sport's governing body.
The city-state will host the Sept.
28 event, which it hopes will draw 80,000 spectators and generate
S$100 million ($68 million) in tourism spending.
The race further boosts the profile
of the world's most- watched motorsport in Asia. Singapore is also
one of three street-races along with Monaco and Valencia.
The season ends on Nov. 2 at the
Interlagos circuit in Brazil, where Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen three
days ago secured the drivers' title by winning the race. His title
is subject to McLaren failing in an appeal against several drivers
not being penalized for fuel irregularities.
Elsewhere, the Spyker team has been
granted permission to change its name to Force India Formula One,
the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile said. Spyker, bought
this month by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya for $109 million,
scored one championship point this season.
The sport's first Indian-owned team,
which was previously named Midland F1, will race in the colors of
the Indian flag, the BBC reported.
A request from Ferrari, winner of
the constructors' title, to continue to supply engines for Spyker
and Toro Rosso for the next two years was also approved.
The FIA announced in the same statement
that there will be a freeze on engine development for 10 years from
2008.
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