Formula One calendar and circuit details

(Reuters) - The Formula One season starts in Australia on March 20. The calendar includes Azerbaijan, with a race in Baku, for the first time and features a record 21 rounds with Germany returning after a year's absence. Start times are 1200 GMT/1400 local unless stated. MARCH 20 -- AUSTRALIA Albert Park street circuit, Melbourne. 58 laps of 5.303km. Total distance 307.574km. 0500 GMT start (1600 local). 2015 pole position: Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes. 2015 winner: Hamilton. Melbourne has hosted the Australian GP since 1996 with the race becoming one of the most popular on the calendar. APRIL 3 -- BAHRAIN Sakhir circuit. 57 laps of 5.412km. Total distance 308.484km. 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Hamilton. 1500 GMT start (1800 local). Desert track 30km south-west of Manama. The race has a day-to-night format under floodlights. APRIL 17 -- CHINA Shanghai International Circuit. 56 laps of 5.451km. Total distance 305.256km. 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Hamilton. 0600 GMT start (1400 local). Built on a vast, almost overwhelming scale in the shape of the Chinese character 'shang'. Has hosted race since 2004. MAY 1 -- RUSSIA Sochi street circuit. 53 laps of 5.848km, distance 309.944km. 2015 pole: Nico Rosberg. winner: Hamilton. Race start 1200 GMT (1500 local). Made its debut on the calendar in 2014, with the circuit looping around the park built for the Winter Olympics. Moves from late in the year to a new May Day slot. MAY 15 -- SPAIN Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. 66 laps of 4.655km. Total distance 307.230km. 2015 pole: Rosberg. winner: Hamilton. Could be predictable, with most teams having already spent eight days testing there pre-season. On the calendar since 1991. MAY 29 -- MONACO Monte Carlo street circuit. 78 laps of 3.337km. Total distance 260.286km. 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Rosberg. The slowest and shortest race but still the most glamorous. Steeped in history, the one every red-blooded racing driver wants to win however much they complain about it being outmoded and dangerous. Also a home race for many of the drivers. JUNE 12 -- CANADA Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Montreal. 70 laps of 4.361km. Total distance 305.270km. 1800 GMT (1400 local). 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Hamilton. Popular with sponsors and teams since 1978. Named after the late Ferrari great and father of Jacques, the circuit is on the Ile Notre Dame in the St Lawrence River. JUNE 19 -- AZERBAIJAN (EUROPEAN GP) Baku City Circuit. New race, number of laps not yet known. Lap distance: 6.006km. Race start 1300 GMT (1800 local). The historic centre and seaside promenade, with a 2.2km stretch, provide the backdrop. JULY 3 -- AUSTRIA Spielberg. A small town in the southern Styria region, not far from Graz. 71 laps of 4.326km laps. Total distance 307.146km. 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Rosberg. The race returned in 2015 for the first time since 2003. Formerly the A1-Ring circuit, now owned by Red Bull. JULY 10 -- BRITAIN Silverstone. 52 laps of 5.891km. Total distance: 306.332km. start time 1200 GMT (1300 local) 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Hamilton. A former World War Two airfield, hosted the first world championship grand prix in 1950. JULY 14 -- HUNGARY Hungaroring, Budapest. 70 laps of 4.381km. Total distance 306.670km. 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Ferrari. The first race here in 1986 was a breakthrough for F1 behind the 'Iron Curtain' dividing Europe. Tight, twisty and slow. Brazilian Felipe Massa suffered a near-fatal head injury here in 2009. JULY 31 -- GERMANY Hockenheim. 67 laps of 4.574km. Total distance 306.458km. 2015 -- no race. Briton Jim Clark died here during an F2 race in 1968. The track was heavily modified in 2002, with a long run through the forest removed. AUGUST 28 -- BELGIUM Spa-Francorchamps. 44 laps of 7.004km. Total distance: 308.176km. 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Hamilton. The longest lap on the calendar and one of the fastest circuits. Often wet, always thrilling. A favourite circuit for drivers and fans. Ayrton Senna won here five times, Michael Schumacher six. SEPTEMBER 4 -- ITALY Monza. 53 laps of 5.793km. Total distance 307.029km. 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Hamilton. 'La Pista Magica' is a temple of Italian motorsport and all things Ferrari. One of the oldest, dating back to the 1920s, and still the fastest circuit in F1. Its future beyond 2016 remains uncertain. SEPTEMBER 18 -- SINGAPORE Marina Bay street circuit. 61 laps of 5.065km. Total distance 308.965km. Race start 1200 GMT (2000 local). 2015 pole: Vettel. winner: Vettel. On the calendar since 2008, now the Monaco of the Far East. The only race run completely at night. OCTOBER 2 -- MALAYSIA Sepang circuit. 56 laps of 5.543km. Total distance 310.408km. 0700 GMT start (1500 local). 2015 pole: Hamilton. winner: Vettel. A hot and steamy venue, with the constant risk of tropical downpours, next to Kuala Lumpur's international airport. Long straights and tight corners. The race has moved from early in the season to be paired with Singapore. OCTOBER 9 -- JAPAN Suzuka. 53 laps of 5.807km. Total distance 307.771km. Race start 0500 GMT (1400 local). 2015 pole: Rosberg. winner: Hamilton. A classic figure-of-eight circuit, owned by Honda with a funfair alongside. Fast, flowing and a favourite of drivers. Attracts some of the most passionate fans anywhere in F1. The 2014 race was overshadowed by Jules Bianchi's tragic accident. OCTOBER 23 -- UNITED STATES Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas. 56 laps of 5.513km. Total distance 308.728km. Race start 1900 GMT (1400 local). 2015 pole: Rosberg. winner: Hamilton. First purpose-built F1 circuit in United States. Anti-clockwise layout with 20 turns. Hamilton won the title here last year. OCTOBER 30 -- MEXICO Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City. 71 laps of 4.304km. Total distance 305.584km. 2015 pole: Rosberg. winner: Rosberg. Returned to the calendar last year for the first time since 1992. Named after racing brothers Ricardo and Pedro. Race start 1900 GMT (1300 local). NOVEMBER 13 -- BRAZIL Interlagos, Sao Paulo. 71 laps of 4.309km. Total distance 305.939km. Race start 1600 GMT (1400 local). 2015 pole: Rosberg. winner: Rosberg. Atmospheric bowl-like venue that hosted its first GP in 1973. Home of Senna, Rubens Barrichello and Massa. Circuit runs anti-clockwise. NOVEMBER 27 -- ABU DHABI Yas Marina. 55 laps of 5.554km. Total distance 305.470km. 2015 pole: Rosberg. winner: Rosberg. Race start 1300 GMT (1700 local). Day-to-night race under floodlights. Made its debut in 2009. Most opulent circuit on the calendar. Anti-clockwise. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Tony Jimenez)