F1 circuit becomes more demanding

Paris: Formula One will stretch to a record 20 races next year with India set to make its grand prix debut in late October although no new teams will be coming in, the sport's governing body said yesterday.

The Indian round, at a circuit being built near New Delhi, is due to be the 18th of the championship on October 30 subject to the facility passing a final inspection by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).

The governing body said in a statement after a meeting of its world motor sport council that the 2011 season will start in Bahrain on March 13 and end in Brazil on November 27 with Abu Dhabi becoming the penultimate race on November 13.

The current season is a record-equalling 19 races, with South Korea the 2010 newcomers.

However, the slim hopes of the starting grid being expanded to a full capacity of 13 teams, assuming all of the existing ones remain, were snuffed out.

The FIA said a number of parties had expressed an interest but "it was considered that none of the candidates met the requirements to be granted an entry into the championship".

Calendar

• March 13: Bahrain Grand Prix
• March 27: Australian Grand Prix
• April 10: Malaysian Grand Prix
• April 17: Chinese Grand Prix
• May 8: Turkish Grand Prix
• May 22: Spanish Grand Prix
• May 29: Monaco Grand Prix
• June 12: Canadian Grand Prix
• June 26: European Grand Prix
• July 10: British Grand Prix
• July 24: German Grand Prix
• July 31: Hungarian Grand Prix
• August 28: Belgian Grand Prix
• September 11: Italian Grand Prix
• September 25: Singapore Grand Prix
• October 9: Japanese Grand Prix
• October 16: South Korean Grand Prix
• October 30: Indian Grand Prix (subject to circuit passing inspection)
• November 13: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
• November 27: Brazilian Grand Prix