MARCH 21, 2015

FIA confirms German GP demise

F1's governing body has removed Germany from the 2015 calendar.

The move follows both the Nurburgring and Hockenheim having declared that time ran out as they negotiated new deals with Bernie Ecclestone.

"The German grand prix has been withdrawn as the CRH (commercial rights holder) and promoter did not reach agreement," the FIA said in a statement after Friday's meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Geneva.

It means the calendar drops from 20 races this year to 19, with the July 19 race slot left empty.

Germany's last absence from the F1 calendar was in 1960, when the Nurburgring only hosted a F2 race.

Under the existing race alternating scheme, Hockenheim is still scheduled to return to the calendar in 2016, Germany's major Bild newspaper confirmed.

(GMM)