F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has hinted that Germany and Italy could each lose one of their two grands prix in 2007.
Germany hosts races at Hockenheim and the Nurburgring, but Ecclestone has said that may change. "We're working on it, probably only one," he said.He suggested the same might apply to Italy's races at Monza and Imola.
The 2006 calendar has 18 rounds after a record 19 in 2005. The Belgian GP at Spa was scrapped this year after cash problems but could return in 2007. F1 has no new races this season after welcoming Turkey's Istanbul Park circuit in 2005 and state-of-the-art tracks in China and Bahrain in 2004.
But speculation continues over the venues for next year's itinerary. The venue for the 2007 Japanese GP will be the Toyota-owned Fuji circuit. But the Honda-owned Suzuka track is hoping to be retained on the schedule as host of a revived Pacific Grand Prix.
Mexico, which last hosted a grand prix in Mexico City in 1992, and South Korea have also been mentioned as future F1 hosts. But Ecclestone added that both countries were still "way down the road".