LONDON • The 10th edition of the Singapore Grand Prix will be held on Sept 17 next year.
A draft calendar published two months ago had put Formula One's only full night race down for Oct 1 - two weeks after Malaysia and a departure from its usual September slot two weeks after the final European race in Italy.
One significant change on the 20-round official version published by the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) is that the German Grand Prix is missing from the schedule.
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20 races next year, down from this year's record 21.
The race was axed for financial reasons on Wednesday.
While that move will dismay German fans, there was a more welcome change in the renamed Azerbaijan GP being pushed back to June 25 to avoid a clash with the Le Mans 24 Hours sports car classic.
Races in Brazil and Canada, whose fate had also been left open on the draft calendar, were confirmed.
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2017 F1 World Championship
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• March 26: Australia (Melbourne)
• April 9: China (Shanghai)
• April 16: Bahrain (Bahrain)
• April 30: Russia (Sochi)
• May 14: Spain (Barcelona)
• May 28: Monaco (Monte Carlo)
• June 11: Canada (Montreal)
• June 25: Azerbaijan (Baku)
• July 9: Austria (Spielberg)
• July 16: Britain (Silverstone)
• July 30: Hungary (Budapest)
• Aug 27: Belgium (Spa-Francorchamps)
• Sept 3: Italy (Monza)
• Sept 17: Singapore (Singapore)
• Oct 1: Malaysia (Sepang)
• Oct 8: Japan (Suzuka)
• Oct 22: USA (Austin)
• Oct 29: Mexico (Mexico City)
• Nov 12: Brazil (Sao Paulo)
• Nov 26: Abu Dhabi (Abu Dhabi)
There were a record 21 races this year. Germany's absence next year had been expected, with the Nurburgring unwilling to pay hosting fees and Hockenheim, which drew a mere 57,000-strong crowd this year, reluctant to lose money in successive seasons.
Hockenheim, one of the best-attended venues in seven-time champion Michael Schumacher's time, does have a contract for 2018 when the race is expected to return.
The lack of a German race also means that newly crowned world champion Nico Rosberg will not have the opportunity to race in front of his home fans next year.
Azerbaijan's street race in Baku made its debut this year as the European GP but organisers had wanted to avoid a repeat of the clash with Le Mans and to remove the logistical challenge of a back-to-back race with Canada.
The races in Austria and Britain are moved back a week to help fill the gap left by Germany, with those grands prix now taking place on July 9 and 16 respectively.
As a result of that tweak, the British GP will now take place on the same day as the Wimbledon men's singles final.
Mexico's race is again paired with the US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas, at the end of October rather than with Brazil which stands on its own as the penultimate round in November.
REUTERS, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
