Jerez in, Vegas out in 2008

The Spanish circuit, which last hosted a Formula One race in 1997, was resurfaced in 2005 and has uprated facilities, and it will be paired with Zolder's second Champ Car event on back-to-back weekends in June.

Following on from its successful debut on the Champ Car calendar this year, the Assen race appears to be a standalone European event in September.

The Las Vegas race, which opened the 2007 season - and which was hailed by drivers as the best street course on the calendar, has disappeared after just one season. It was promoted by the same company behind the stillborn finale for this year in Phoenix, Arizona.

The 2008 calendar will therefore revert to its formerly standard practice of opening at Long Beach, which will be celebrating its silver anniversary as a Champ Car event. It replaced Formula One at the legendary West Coast venue in 1984.

One of the surprises has been the retention of Portland International Raceway, the only venue in the North West of the US.

The venue was rumoured to be in jeopardy following a paltry crowd at this year's event, which was blighted by heavy rain and coincided with a major local festival.

However, in 2008 the Portland race will be moved to late July, two weeks before the final US round, at Road America.

2008 Champ Car calendar, pending FIA approval:

April 20          Long Beach, California
April 27          Houston, Texas
May 18            Laguna Seca, California
June 1            Zolder, Belgium
June 8            Jerez, Spain
June 22           Cleveland, Ohio
June 29           Mont-Tremblant, Canada
July 6            Toronto, Canada
July 20           Edmonton, Canada
July 27           Portland, Oregon
August 10         Road America, Wisconsin
September 14      Assen, Holland
October 26        Surfers Paradise , Australia
November 9        Mexico City, Mexico