The World Motor Sport Council met in Paris on Tuesday and decided to go ahead with a programme with no races in North America.

The addition of an Abu Dhabi grand prix to the calendar means the season remains 18 races long.

Next year's calendar also allows for a summer break as the Turkish GP has moved from August to June.

The British GP is scheduled for Silverstone on June 21 and it is set to be the last time the Northamptonshire circuit hosts the event.

Plans have already been unveiled for Donington Park to stage the race from 2010 onwards, providing necessary work is done at the Leicestershire circuit to bring it up to standard.