The FIA's World Motor Sport Council, motorsport's ruling body, have announced the provisional 2016 schedule for Formula One, which has produced some surprising developments.

Biggest schedule

There are 21 races scheduled for 2016, which makes it the longest season in F1 history.

This season's calendar has 19 races, while the most races in a year was in 2012 when there were 20.

Season finale

The Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix will remain the last race of the season on the schedule, with the event at Yas Marina Circuit on Sunday, November 27.

It will be the fifth time, and the third in a row, that the race has served as the final round of the campaign.

First appearance and a return

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place for the first time on July 17 in Baku, while the German Grand Prix makes a return after a one-year absence on July 31, with no announcement on whether the race will be held at Hockenheim or the Nurburgring, the venues that have rotated hosting the event since 2007.

Late start

The season is to begin in Australia on April 3, three weeks later than this season began in Melbourne.

If the calendar remains unaltered it will be the latest an F1 year has begun since 1988.

Calendar

The full schedule is Australia (April 3), China (April 10), Bahrain (April 24), Russia (May 1), Spain (May 15), Monaco (May 29), Canada (June 12), Britain (June 26), Austria (July 3), Azerbaijan (July 17), Germany (July 31), Hungary (August 7), Belgium (August 28), Italy (September 4), Singapore (September 18), Malaysia (September 25), Japan (October 9), United States (October 23), Mexico (October 30), Brazil (November 13), Abu Dhabi (November 27).
Source: WAM