German Grand Prix set to be dropped from 2017 F1 calendar

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The German Grand Prix is expected to be dropped from the Formula One calendar for financial reasons.

The decision to drop the race still needs to be officially confirmed when the World Motor Sport Council meets next Wednesday.

Hockenheim is one of three provisional races on next year's 21-race calendar along with Canada and Brazil. The official calendar will be approved at the same meeting.

But according to reports in the German media, teams have already been made aware of the decision so that it does not affect their travel plans. The race is penciled in for July 30.

''It's unfortunate but not surprising, especially as the date was only conditional,'' Hockenheimring chief Georg Seiler was quoted as saying by German news agency dpa. ''There was also no offer excluding all financial risks, which was always our condition as a possible venue.''

The implications would potentially see the Hungarian GP moved by one week to take Germany's slot as the final race before the traditional summer break.

The German GP was left off the 2015 calendar, also because of dwindling attendances and costs.

Germany's struggles to host the race contrasts with the flourishing success of the Mercedes team and its German driver Nico Rosberg.

Mercedes has clinched the constructors' title for the past three years, and Rosberg is in a strong position to win his first F1 title on Sunday.

He leads teammate Lewis Hamilton.

The other German drivers in F1 are four-time champion Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari), Nico Hulkenberg (Force India), and Pascal Wehrlein (Manor).