2014 F1 Championship calendar confirmed

Following a meeting of the International Automobile Federation's (FIA) World Motor Sport Council, the calendar for the 2014 Formula 1 World Championship was revealed today, featuring 19 races starting from the Australian Grand Prix on March 16. The F1 season will conclude in Abu Dhabi on November 23.

The 2014 F1 season featured 21 races when the provisional calendar was revealed earlier this year but will now feature 19 races - the same as this year's season - with neither of the proposed races in the American city of New Jersey or Mexico City making it to the F1 calendar.

The Austrian Grand Prix will make a return to the F1 circus as well after last being held in 2003 when Michael Schumacher triumphed despite a brief pit lane fire on his Ferrari at the A1 Ring.

The A1 Ring, formerly known as the Osterreichring before being cut in length, is now owned by the parent company of Red Bull Racing and is called the Red Bull Ring.

Russia will make its much anticipated debut on the F1 calendar with its Grand Prix being held in the port city of Sochi on October 12. Sochi is also the venue for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games.

Abu Dhabi returns as the venue of the F1 season finale after the Brazilian GP in Interlagos took the position as the season ender from 2011 to 2013.

The 2014 season will, to the dismay of Indian F1 fans, not feature a round at the Buddh International Circuit. As of now, the official statements by F1's commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone and the Jaypee Group chairman Jaiprakash Gaur have listed 2015 as the year in which F1 will return to India.

It is also the year in which Ecclestone said the much anticipated street race in New Jersey will be held, according to motor sport website Autosport.

The confirmed 2014 F1 calendar as published on the FIA website is as follows:

16/03 Grand Prix of Australia

30/03 Grand Prix of Malaysia

06/04 Grand Prix of Bahrain

20/04 Grand Prix of China

11/05 Grand Prix of Spain

25/05 Grand Prix of Monaco

08/06 Grand Prix of Canada

22/06 Grand Prix of Austria

06/07 Grand Prix of Great Britain

20/07 Grand Prix of Germany

27/07 Grand Prix of Hungary

24/08 Grand Prix of Belgium

07/09 Grand Prix of Italy

21/09 Grand Prix of Singapore

05/10 Grand Prix of Japan

12/10 Grand Prix of Russia

02/11 Grand Prix of USA (Austin)

09/11 Grand Prix of Brazil

23/11 Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi