Canadian Grand Prix during qualifying for the 1988 Canadian Grand Prix. On 7 October 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix was dropped from the Formula One calendar, which left the Montreal race off the list for the first time since . In the provisional 2009 schedule released in June 2008, the Canadian Grand Prix was to have been held on 7 June, a date taken by the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix in the revised schedule. Since the United States Grand Prix was dropped after 2007, this meant that in 2009 no Formula One race was held in North America for the first time since
1951 Formula One season had to come in twice for fuel, which dropped him down the order far enough for him only to get as far as third. Fellow local hero and Milan native Ascari won again in his Ferrari – which kept his championship hopes alive catch the leader Fangio to win it in the last championship Grand Prix in Spain. The first ever Formula One Spanish Grand Prix, held at the Pedralbes street circuit in Barcelona took place 7 weeks after the Italian round. The Ferrari and Alfa Romeo teams each ran four cars with Ferrari fielding Ascari, Gigi Villoresi, Froilan Gonzalez