Motor Racing: FIA confirms record 20-race 2011 F1 season
Posted: 08 September 2010 2229 hrs

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PARIS - Formula One's ruling body confirmed here on Wednesday that the 2011 season would be the longest on record, with the arrival of the Indian Grand Prix boosting the number of races to 20.

In other news from its meeting in Paris, the FIA announced that no entry had met the required standard to fill the vacant 13th team spot, dashing former world champion Jacques Villeneuve's hopes of returning to the grid next year.

"None of the candidates meet the requirements to be granted an entry," the FIA confirmed.

The new Indian Grand Prix has been slotted into the calendar as the third last race of the 2011 season, to be held on October 30, although FIA warned that it was subject to the circuit, near New Delhi, passing inspection.

Abu Dhabi will now be the penultimate race on November 13 and the concluding Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos on November 27.

The season will start in Bahrain on March 13.

The only other change sees Turkey now opening the European campaign on May 8.

The 20-race calendar for the 2011 Formula One season approved by the sport's ruling body the FIA here on Wednesday:

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

- AFP/ir