Silverstone Included on Draft F1 Calendar

The troubled British Grand Prix was listed provisionally on a 2005 Formula One calendar on Wednesday along with an inaugural Turkish race in August.

The governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) published a draft calendar with more races than ever - an unprecedented 19 - after intense speculation about the fate of the British round.

Silverstone hosted the first Formula One World Championship Grand Prix in 1950, and the country has been on the calendar every year since then, but the circuit's owners have yet to agree a deal with commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone.

France and the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola, both races also shrouded in uncertainty, were listed with an asterisk against them. The final calendar, likely to be issued in December, could see some of those races lopped off with teams contractually committed to just 17.

Ecclestone, a Briton but a regular critic of Silverstone and the British Racing Drivers' Club (BRDC) that owns it, threatened last month to strike off his home race but the situation has looked more encouraging since then.

British Sports Minister Richard Caborn said on Tuesday he was confident a deal will be agreed soon.

Britain was scheduled for July 3 while France, subject to a contract being agreed, moves from its usual summer slot to become the first race of the European season on April 17.

Imola Doubt

Imola, Ferrari's home race, must comply with an existing contract before being given the definitive green light. It follows on April 24. Ecclestone, 73, warned in January that Imola, which needs considerable refurbishment, would be axed after this year's Grand Prix there.

The French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours was almost cancelled this year before winning a reprieve in January.

Turkey, making its first appearance on a Formula One calendar after the debuts of China and Bahrain this year with a new circuit being built near Istanbul, was pencilled in for August 21.

The season will start in Australia as usual on March 6 but will end in Asia with China's Shanghai circuit, instead of Brazil, closing out the year after a race in Japan.

Brazil moves to a September 25 date.

China was one of three races without a firm date, the others being the US Grand Prix at Indianapolis between Canada on June 12 and Britain, and the European round at the Nurburgring scheduled between Monaco on May 22 and Canada.

The FIA said the missing dates would be confirmed no later than December 10.

Belgium, which returned to the calendar this year, becomes the last round of the European season on September 11 after the Italian Grand Prix at Monza on September 4.