LONDON • Formula One's governing body approved a record 23-race calendar for 2022 yesterday, with the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai missing for the third year in a row due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Races in Australia, Singapore, Canada and Japan - all cancelled for the past two seasons - were included in a season that marks the start of a new era for the sport with a major regulation change.

"Due to ongoing pandemic conditions, China will not be included on the 2022 calendar. China will be restored to the calendar as soon as conditions allow," Formula One said in a statement.

The season will start at Bahrain's Sakhir circuit on March 20 and end at Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina on Nov 20, the championship's earliest finish since 2010.

The Singapore Grand Prix will return on Oct 2.

Formula One sees China as a key growth market but the race, usually in April, was cancelled last year and this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.

Italy's Imola circuit, brought back as a stand-in for cancelled races this year and last, will take China's slot while Miami comes in as a second round in the United States.

This year's Chinese Grand Prix was originally postponed from April to later in the year due to the pandemic and then cancelled, with a revised 22-race calendar published.

China will be hosting the Winter Olympics in Beijing in February and has cancelled or rescheduled global sporting events since the start of the pandemic.

Tickets for the Olympics are to be sold to spectators from mainland China only and unvaccinated athletes must spend 21 days in quarantine ahead of the Games

The 2022 season will run from mid-March to mid-November as Formula One is eager to avoid a clash with the World Cup in Qatar in late November and December.

Teams approved the draft calendar at a Formula One Commission meeting in London on Wednesday and it was submitted to yesterday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council.

Six races next year are expected to be under a new sprint format trialled this year at Silverstone and Monza with a third to come at Interlagos in Brazil next month.

An update to the sporting regulations was also discussed at the meeting, following this year's wet and farcical Belgian Grand Prix.

The rain-delayed race at Spa-Francorchamps ended after a couple of laps behind the safety car and without any overtaking allowed.

Half-points were awarded, with podium ceremonies carried out.

"The Commission... asked that the Sporting Advisory Committee considers this topic at its next meeting to propose options for updated procedures and regulations," the FIA said in a statement.

REUTERS