Mexico set to return to Formula One fray

 Mexico City looks set to host a Formula One Grand Prix next year for the first time since 1992 while New Jersey, whose debut was postponed this season, is again absent from a draft 21-race calendar seen by teams and broadcasters.

Team sources, sent the list by commercial supremo Bernie Ecclestone, expressed some scepticism about the number of races however.

"It remains to be seen which one is dropped," one team principal told Reuters at the Italian Grand Prix, the last European round of this season.

If approved as it stands by the governing International Automobile Federation (FIA) at a world motorsport council meeting in Croatia later this month, the draft calendar would have more races than ever before.

The previous record is 20, with 19 held this year, and most of the teams are reluctant to go above that number because of the stresses imposed on personnel such as engineers and mechanics.

Mexico, a new Grand Prix in the Russian Black Sea resort of Sochi and South Korea all have asterisks against their slots indicating they are subject to contract and track approval by the governing body.

India has been dropped as previously announced, with hopes for a comeback in 2015, while Austria is due to make a return after an 11-year break with a race at Spielberg on June 22.

Mexico's absence has been even longer, with the last Formula One race held at the capital's Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in 1992 and won by Britain's Nigel Mansell.
The race would be the first leg of a double-header with the US Grand Prix held in Austin, Texas, with the races on Nov 9 and 16 before the finale in Brazil.

Bahrain's bid appears to have failed.