Imola unlikely to return in '08

(GMM) Bernie Ecclestone on Saturday played down speculation that the possible return of Imola's San Marino GP next year might tip the 2008 calendar over the 20-race mark.

Asked by reporters in Barcelona if the Italian circuit would host a race next season after an absence in 2007, the F1 supremo shook his head: "I don't think so."

The 2008 calendar is still likely to be bursting at the seams, though, with Valencia and Singapore joining in and Suzuka wanting to host a new Pacific GP.

There are 17 races this year; a number settled on after the 19-race schedule of 2005 proved tiresome for the traveling fraternity and even caused some teams to consider installing relief race crews to cope with the load.

Bernie said: "We'll have to see how it all pans out, see how many races we really can sustain where everybody's happy and then take a look from there."