Turkish Grand Prix loses place on revised 2012 Formula 1 calendar

As AUTOSPORT revealed last month, the Turkish event was taken off the provisional calendar issued by the FIA earlier this year as part of a revised version submitted by Bernie Ecclestone.

Despite discussions between Turkish organisers and Ecclestone no deal could be reached, which means the event will now not be part of the schedule for the first time since 2005.

As part of changes approved by the FIA World Motor Sport Council in a fax vote, the Bahrain Grand Prix has been moved from its season-opening slot to take place on April 22 - much earlier in the schedule than the teams had expected in the calendar version they were shown recently.

It has been swapped with the Indian GP, which will now move to October 28. Race organisers in Delhi had wanted the event moved back because of the hot weather in April.

The season will start in Australia on March 18, and the final two races will be back-to-back events in the United States and Brazil on November 18 and 25.

2012 Formula 1 calendar

18 March            Australian GP
25 March            Malaysian GP
15 April            Chinese GP
22 April            Bahrain GP
13 May              Spanish GP
27 May              Monaco GP
10 June             Canada GP
24 June             European GP
8 July              British GP
22 July             German GP
29 July             Hungarian GP
2 September         Belgian GP
9 September         Italian GP
23 September        Singapore GP
7 October           Japanese GP
14 October          Korean GP
28 October          Indian GP
4 November          Abu Dhabi GP
18 November         US GP
25 November         Brazilian GP