www.formula1spot.co BAHRAIN will host the fourth Formula One Grand Prix race of 2009 and not the third as per the provisional schedule drawn up by the world organising body earlier this year. The International Automobile Federation (FIA) last night released a revised calendar for the 2009 season according to which the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will now be held from April 24 to 26.

It will now follow the Grands Prix in Australia, Malaysia, and China. "We were obviously planning on an earlier race date, but it is a reflection on the organisational ability of Bahrain that FIA have the confidence in both the BIC and the country being able to accommodate a date change at this reasonably late juncture," said Bahrain International Circuit chief executive Martin Whitaker.

"This is the first time we will be staging the fourth race of the season, and it will certainly raise spectator expectations as we begin to see how the championship is unfolding." Next year will be the sixth running of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix.Ferrari's Michael Schumacher won the inaugural event in 2004 while Felipe Massa, also of Ferrari, won this year's event.