The 19-race season will begin on March 12
Bahrain has been chosen to host the opening Grand Prix event of the 19-race 2006 season starting on March 12, the sport`s governing body the FIA confirmed on Wednesday.
The decision was made at a meeting of the FIA`s World Motorsport Council, held in Rome, and confirms plans to expand the calendar to an unprecedented 20 rounds have been put on hold.

The Malaysian Grand Prix follows a week later on March 19 with the Australian event on April 2.

The Australian Grand Prix has been the season-opener since 1996 but has been pushed back to avoid a clash with the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

The organisers of the Bahrain event, which arrived on the calendar two years ago, are delighted to be hosting the opening race. Bahrain International Circuit general manager Martin Whitaker said: "We are all very, very proud of this announcement and the confidence that Formula One has in the people of Bahrain to stage the first race. The first race of the year always attracts considerable media attention and next year will be no exception with added interest in new teams, drivers, sponsors, engines and regulations."

The news that the calendar will remain at 19 races comes as a boost to many of the Formula One fraternity, who have suffered a gruelling year of travelling in four continents and finished the season in China earlier in October.

The Australian race is followed by the British which moves to June 11, preceding the fly-away races in Canada and the United States, which retains its place on the calendar despite fans` criticism following the debacle this year.

The season will end with three fly-away races, with the back-to-back rounds in Japan and China moving earlier and Brazil reclaiming its position as the final race on October 22, pending a contract agreement.

Japan will not be handed a second race at the Fuji circuit near Tokyo, as had been rumoured, and the announcement also knocks down rumours that the Belgian Grand Prix is under threat.

2006 Grand Prix Calendar

March 12 Bahrain
March 19 Malaysia
April 2 Australia
April 23 San Marino
May 7 European GP
May 14 Spain
May 28 Monaco
June 11 Great Britain
June 25 Canada
July 2 United States
July 16 France
July 30 Germany
August 6 Hungary
August 27 Turkey
September 10 Italy
September 17 Belgium
October 1 Japan
October 8 China
October 22 Brazil (Subject to contract approval)

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