Ecclestone wants 'a number' of night races

The Formula One supremo has been playing with the idea of night races for a while, with Singapore, China or Japan as likely calendars due to their time difference over Europe.

Ecclestone also said he wants next year's calendar to include a record 20 races. The current schedule has 17 events.

"I'd like twenty races next season and I'm currently trying to put together a three-year calendar," Ecclestone told the Mail on Sunday in an interview.

"I'm also wanting to stage a good number of night races.

"Apart from the fact that it's a new development, and there will be a novelty factor behind it, the main reason is because so many of the Grands Prix are east of Europe and instead of having to watch them in the early hours of the morning, Europeans can instead watch them during the day if staged in the evenings in the East.

"I think, for example, it's a terrible shame that the first Grand Prix of the new season should be staged in the afternoon in Australia.

"Having to get up and watch it in the night over here is not the best way to get the show on the road."

The 2007 season kicks off in Australia this weekend.