F1 ruling body announces 'longest and toughest ever' 22-date calendar for 2014 season

The ruling body for Formula One has reportedly given their approval for a 22-date calendar for the 2014 F1 championship, which is set to be the longest and toughest in the sport's history.

The FIA's World Motor Sport Council has reportedly for the first time has approved so many events in a single season, which will also see for the first time a triple-header with Monaco, New Jersey and Canada in successive weekends from May 25.

According to the Mirror, many races or returning circuits have been added to the 2014 calendar with Britain's Silverstone retaining its July 6 date, adding that there are four additions to the calendar: Austria, New Jersey, Mexico and Russia

The report mentioned that the Austrian circuit, which is likely to become a permanent fixture, has been named Rebonza and will become Red Bull's home race, while Russia has been squeezed in after Singapore and paired with Japan on October 5 and 12.

According to the report, Mexico has been paired with the Austin circuit in Texas, with the season climaxing with three-races in four weekends before the season-ender in Brazil like before.

The report further said that Korea has been paired with China; Australia is a stand-alone opening round and Malaysia has been paired with the controversial Bahrain circuit, in order to cement the troubled nation's place in the calendar.

However, the report said that the races at Korea, New Jersey and Mexico remain provisional, with Korea and New Jersey widely expected to fall off the schedule.