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12 décembre 2004

By Alan Baldwin - LONDON, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Formula One’s governing body confirmed the threatened British, French and San Marino Grands Prix on a bigger than ever 19-race calendar on Friday.

Turkey, with a new track near Istanbul, will also make its Formula One debut on August 21.

The International Automobile Federation (FIA) said its World Motor Sport Council had approved the 2005 calendar, with Silverstone entered for July 10 after agreeing a contract on Thursday’s deadline day.

The 10 teams, many of whom were reluctant to stretch the calendar beyond an already unprecedented 18 rounds this year, will have to do eight grands prix in 10 weeks before the August holiday break.

France, Britain, Germany and Hungary will all host races in July, the busiest month.

There will however be a three week break between Bahrain, the third round on April 3, and the first race of the European season at Imola on April 24.

France had been given an April date, when the weather is likely to be cold and wet, on the provisional calendar but Magny-Cours organisers will breathe a sigh of relief at being returned to a July 3 slot.

That date, which clashes with the Wimbledon men’s singles tennis final, had been assigned to Silverstone on the draft calendar.

The season will start in Australia on March 6 and ends on October 16 in China, which follows immediately after Japan.

Many of the races will be back-to-back, allowing all the races to fit into the time frame and offering cost savings but also testing the teams’ logistics to the full on long-haul destinations.

The Canadian and U.S. Grands Prix will be run on successive weekends, with Montreal on June 12 and Indianapolis on June 19.

The European Grand Prix at the Nuerburgring on May 29 follows hot on the heels of Monaco, the social highlight of the calendar, on May 22.

The Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 4 precedes the Belgian race at Spa on the 11th. (Editing by Alison Wildey ; Reuters Messaging : alison.wildey.reuters.com@reuters.net ; +44 20 7542 3321))