Ecclestone and Todt handed mandate to provide recommendations on sport's governance; Ferrari given approval to supply Toro Rosso next year with year-old engines
Thursday 3 December 2015 09:48, UK
The FIA, motorsport's governing body, has confirmed there will be 21 Formula 1 races held in 2016.
Following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris, the FIA have formally announced that the calendar has been amended to increase the maximum number of races from 20 to 21, paving the way for what is scheduled to be the longest season in F1's history.
The United States GP has, however, been listed as provisional amid financial concerns, while the Mexican GP has been moved back a week to be back-to-back with Austin.
The European GP, to be held in Azerbaijan, remains scheduled for the week after the Canadian GP.
In addition, the WMSC have also voted to give a mandate to FIA president Jean Todt and Bernie Ecclestone 'to make recommendations and decisions regarding a number of pressing issues in Formula One such as governance, Power Units and cost reduction'.
Todt and Ecclestone intend to deliver their proposals by 31 January 2016.
Engine manufacturers will be allowed to spend 32 power unit tokens for in-season development during 2016, with their allowance then restricted to 25 in 2017, 20 in 2018 and 15 in 2019.
In a separate development, a statement from the FIA noted: 'The World Motor Sport Council was also advised that the FIA had agreed for Ferrari to supply a fourth customer team with a 2015-specification Power Unit in 2016.'
Although unnamed, the Scuderia's fourth customer team next year is all-but certain to be Toro Rosso.
Meanwhile, it was also confirmed that Pirelli will supply three, rather than two, dry-weather compounds to teams at each race.
Confirmed 2016 calendar
20 March: Melbourne, Australia
3 April: Bahrain, Bahrain
17 April: Shanghai, China
1 May: Sochi, Russia
15 May: Barcelona, Spain
29 May: Monte Carlo, Monaco
12 June: Montreal, Canada
19 June: Baku, Azerbaijan*
3 July: Spielberg, Austria
10 July: Silverstone, United Kingdom
24 July: Budapest, Hungary
31 July: Hockenheim, Germany
28 August: Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium
4 September: Monza, Italy
18 September: Singapore
2 October: Sepang, Malaysia
9 October: Suzuka, Japan
23 October: Austin, USA**
30 October: Mexico City, Mexico
13 November: Sao Paolo, Brazil
27 November: Abu Dhabi, UAE
*race start to be scheduled to avoid conflict with the conclusion of the 24 Hours of Le Mans
**subject to agreement with the promoter and the ASN
