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India joins F1 calendar of record 20 races
Formula One will stretch to a record 20 races next year with India making its grand prix debut in late October, although no new teams will be coming in, the sport's governing body said on Wednesday.
The Indian race, to be held on October 30 at a circuit being built near New Delhi, will be the 18th round of the championship, 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.
"Consequently, the allocation of the 13th team will not be granted."
Many of the expected main contenders had already withdrawn for financial reasons but Spanish-based Epsilon Euzkadi and a joint effort involving Italy's Durango and Canada's former world champion Jacques Villeneuve had remained in the running.
EXTRA BURDEN
A 20-race calendar has long been a desire of the sport's commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone but has met with resistance from teams due to the extra burden imposed on mechanics and travelling employees.
Cost-cutting measures have further reduced the number of staff attending races, while some test teams have been disbanded due to the ban on testing during the season.
The world motor sport council also announced steps to enable the governing body to punish Formula One drivers and other competitors in FIA series who commit motoring offences on public roads.
McLaren's 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton was fined A$500 (R3 300) after being stopped by police for reckless driving in a Melbourne street at this year's Australian Grand Prix.
"Competitors at FIA events must act as ambassadors for the sport, be aware their conduct on the road must be exemplary and respect road safety rules," declared the FIA statement.
It said the international sporting code would be amended to enable the governing body to withdraw a driver's international super licence in the most serious cases.
The 2011 Forumla One race calendar is as follows:
13 March Bahrain GP
27 March Australian GP
10 April Malaysian GP
17 April Chinese GP
08 May Turkish GP
22 May Spanish GP
29 May Monaco GP
12 June Canadian GP
26 June European GP
10 July British GP
24 July German GP
31 July Hungarian GP
28 August Belgian GP
11 September Italian GP
25 September Singapore GP
09 October Japanese GP
16 October Korean GP
30 October Indian GP (pending homologation)
13 November Abu Dhabi GP
27 November Brazilian GP
