By Alan Baldwin
LONDON, April 24 (Reuters) - The return of the Turkish Grand Prix from next year, announced on Friday, will go down well with fans and drivers while a rotation of some European races will ensure the Formula One calendar stays at 24 rounds.
Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali has made clear the championship is at its limit but the Dutch Grand Prix is dropping off after this season while Belgium and Barcelona will be alternating over the next five years -- the length of the Turkish
contract.
Madrid, due to debut later this year, is the most recent addition but Portugal's Portimao circuit also has a two-year deal that starts in 2027.
Adding Portugal and Turkey next year would take the calendar to 25 rounds, but the Barcelona-Belgium rotation brings it back down with the Spanish circuit absent next year before returning in 2028 when Spa drops off. The switch between the two then continues in 2029, 2030, and 2031.
As it stands, with the addition of Turkey, there are now 24 circuits with contracts for 2027.
AUSTRIA AND MIAMI HAVE THE LONGEST CONTRACTS
Italy, Hungary, Britain, Madrid, Monaco and Austria all have contracts through until at least 2031 with some far longer -- Silverstone to 2034, Madrid and Monaco to 2035 and Austria's Red Bull Ring until 2041 -- the same as Miami.
Further afield, Mexico City has a contract to 2028, as does Singapore. Japan is secure until 2029 and Azerbaijan until 2030.
Abu Dhabi, China, Brazil and Saudi Arabia also run to 2030 but all either contribute significantly to the sport's balance sheet in hosting fees or are important for commercial growth and global representation.
Sao Paulo's Interlagos circuit is still the sole South American race while China is a key market for the Liberty Media-owned sport.
Having competition for slots is always good for business, and also provides alternatives if regions, such as the Middle East with four rounds, become out of bounds due to conflict such as the Iran war.
Turkey slots in with a circuit next to a 'destination city', a cultural and geographical gateway between Europe and Asia that might equally be a candidate to rotate eventually with Azerbaijan's Baku, further to the east but also looking west with the first race there in 2016 billed as the European Grand Prix.
Returning to Africa for the first time since 1993 remains a long-term desire for Formula One while another race in South America, most likely Argentina, has long been mooted as has a second round in China.
India recently made headlines after the country's sports minister suggested a return to the Buddh International Circuit near New Delhi could be on the cards.
While that timeframe was swiftly dismissed, Formula One did recognise India as a "market of interest" even if any agreement remained some way off.
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
