Indian GP on Oct 28 in 12

F1's commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone had previously suggested that the Indian GP could be clubbed with the Asian leg in the first part of the season

Ending speculation that the India Grand Prix might be shifted to April,the International Automobile Federation (FIA) on Wednesday ratified an unchanged calendar for 2012,slotting the Greater Noida race for October 28.

F1’s commercial rights holder Bernie Ecclestone had previously suggested that the Indian GP could be clubbed with the Asian leg in the first part of the season. However,the organisers reportedly requested for the original end-of-October weekend as an April date might have coincided with the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Despite doubts over Bahrain and Austin in the United States,both races are on the 20-race official calendar. “The 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship calendar was confirmed as previously published,” FIA said in a statement issued after a World Motor Sport Council meeting here.

Ecclestone had earlier given a contract ultimatum to organisers of the proposed US Grand Prix in Texas,while there was uncertainty about Bahrain’s race as well which was cancelled this year due to civil unrest in the still-simmering Gulf nation. On Sunday,a bomb went off outside the British embassy in Manama. The Austin race would mark a return to the US for F1 after five years,with the last GP being at Indianapolis in 2007.

Return of in-season testing

In a significant rule change,FIA has decided to ease the ban on in-season testing,allowing teams to carry out one three-day test. The test ban was introduced in 2009 as part of efforts to cut soaring costs in the sport.

Among other developments,there will now be a maximum race time of four hours to ensure that a lengthy suspension,as happened in Montreal this season,would not lead to an unregulated eight-hour marathon.

Also,drivers will no longer be allowed to take short cuts on the track,such as cutting a chicane to save fuel on reconnaissance or slowing down laps,without a ‘justifiable reason’.

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Calendar: 1. Australian GP (Melbourne),March 16-18; 2 Malaysian GP (Kuala Lumpur) March 23-25; 3. Chinese GP (Shanghai) April 13-15; 4. Bahrain GP (Sakhir) April 20-22; 5. Spanish GP (Catalunya) May 11-13; 6. Monaco GP May 24-27; 7. Canadian GP (Montréal) June 8-10; 8. European GP (Valencia) June 22-24; 9. British GP (Silverstone) July 6-8; 10. German GP (Hockenheim) July 20-22; 11. Hungarian GP (Budapest) July 27-29; 12. Belgian GP (Spa-Francorchamps) Aug 31-Sep 2; 13. Italian GP (Monza) Sep 7-9; 14. Singapore GP (Singapore) Sep 21-23; 15. Japanese GP (Suzuka) Oct 5-7; 16. Korean GP (Yeongam) Oct 12-14; 17. Indian GP (Gr Noida) Oct 26-28; 18. Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina) Nov 2-4; 19. US GP (Austin) Nov 16-18; 20. Brazilian GP (Sao Paulo) Nov 23-25