Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone is in talks to take grand prix racing to Egypt and other Middle East destinations.

International Automobile Fedaration (FIA) spokesman Francesco Longanesi said yesterday: "He is having talks with the Egyptian government in regard to the possibility of hosting a grand prix there in the future.

He will then move on to another middle-east country for the same reasons."

Dubai has also been mooted as a future Formula One venue as Ecclestone tries to make the championship more global and also move away from Europe where tobacco advertising is becoming increasingly difficult.

The FIA announced a 17-race calendar yesterday with six races outside Europe.

Indianapolis brings the US back into the championship on September 24th while Australia starts the season rolling on March 12th.

The other major changes were for Malaysia, which hosted a race for the first time this season, to stage the season-ending grand prix on October 22nd and for the British round at Silverstone to be moved from July to April.

It will be the first time since the inaugural world championship in 1950, when the race was held in May, that the British round has not had a July date.

"There is no comment to make about moving the British Grand Prix. It is a simple case of re-shuffling. There is no special reason," said Longanesi.

A recent report in the British magazine Autosport suggested an April move was in the offing because of a crowded race calendar and television capacity problems with the Wimbledon tennis tournament.

It also suggested that an April date could be more appealing to the ruling body because there was more likelihood of a wet race.

Some of this season's most exciting and unpredictable races have come as a result of rain.