PARIS: The China Grand Prix, held in October this year, will be staged in mid-April in 2009, according to the revised programme released by the FIA on Wednesday.

Missing from the fresh list of races is the French Grand Prix, which has been removed from the calendar due to lack of funding.

The Chinese GP will now be staged as the third leg of the 17-race season which concludes with the inaugural race in Abu Dhabi on November 1.

Revised 2009 F1 calendar

March 29: Australia
April 5: Malaysia
April 19: China
April 26: Bahrain
May 10: Spain
May 24: Monaco
June 7: Turkey
June 21: Great Britain
July 12: Germany
July 26: Hungary
August 23: Europe (Valencia/ESP)
August 30: Belgium
September 13: Italy
September 27: Singapore
October 4: Japan
October 18: Brazil
November 1: Abu Dhabi

- AFP/de