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3 races axed from 2014 F1 calendar

LONDON, England - The 2014 Formula 1 season will see 19 races instead of a record 22 with New Jersey, Mexico and South Korea dropped from the official calendar.

All three grands prix had been listed on a provisional calendar published in September 2013 by the governing International Automobile Federation. None appears on the final version issued in November 2013.

FINANCIAL WOES

New Jersey's Grand Prix of America had been due for its debut in 2013 but had to be postponed due to the financial issues which continue to plague the event. Organisers said they were working on "restructured financial arrangements" while the sport's chief executive, Bernie Ecclestone, said he looked forward to a "first-class inaugural Grand Prix of America in 2015".

Ecclestone said: "There is great demand for a race in New Jersey and I have no doubt we'll be racing at Port Imperial in 2015.  New races can take many years to get started but there is significant momentum and we are close to realizing a New York City F1 race."

MEXICO, KOREA, INDIA AXED

Mexico would have made a return to the circus in November 2014 after a 22-year absence but there are doubts about the readiness of the Mexico City track. The poorly-attended Korean race, one of the least popular among F1's travelling fraternity, has sustained heavy losses.

Organisers, whose race at Yeongam in the far south was due to be moved from October to April, had sought a contract re-negotiation with Ecclestone.

India has also been axed from the 2014 calendar, although race promoters are hoping to return in 2015; Austria is back after a decade and Russia will host a race for the first time in 2014.

REVISED CALENDAR

The revised calendar led to a reshuffle of some dates and teams will be particularly relieved not to have the logistical headache of a “triple header” of Monaco, New Jersey and Canada to contend with on consecutive weekends in May and June 2014.

The cancellation of Mexico, which would have been the penultimate race, sees Brazil's Interlagos and Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina swop places with the Middle East circuit now due to end the season on November 23.

The absence of New Jersey, while expected, will be the biggest blow to a sport still battling for more than a niche profile in the US, a major market for automakers such as  Mercedes and Ferrari.

Most teams were reluctant to extend the season beyond 20 races, fearing the effect of the increased burden on staff, particularly engineers and mechanics as well as higher costs if more people had to be hired to cope.

The US already has one popular GP in Austin, Texas.
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