The UK's round of the globe-trotting FIA World Rally Championship - Wales Rally GB - has been confirmed in the 2016 schedule that will visit no fewer than five continents. The 14-round championship blasts off with the Monte Carlo Rally in January and will conclude in Australia 11 months later, with a round in China for the first time in 17 years

The 14-round championship begins at its traditional starting point Rallye Monte-Carlo on the 22-24 January before traveling to five continents and across a mix of gravel, asphalt, snow and ice surfaces.

Wales Rally GB will be the final European fixture and the penultimate round of the championship. It will again be based in north Wales on 28-30 October, preserving the likelihood of tricky late-year conditions which make the legendary event such a renowned sporting challenge.

Rally Australia acts as the season finale on the 18-20 November, a move believed to have been made to reduce shipping and transport costs.

Asia makes a return to the WRC scene, with Rally China returning for the first time since 1999. The all-asphalt event will run as the 10th round on 9-11 September, based in the Huairou district just 70km from central Beijing.

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2016 WRC calendar:

Monte-Carlo* 22-24 January

Sweden 12-14 February

Mexico 4-6 March

Argentina 22-24 April

Portugal 20-22 May

Italy 10-12 June

Poland 1-3 July

Finland 29-31 July

Germany 19-21 August

China** 9-11 September

France* 30 September - 2 October

Spain 14-16 October

Great Britain 28-30 October

Australia 18-20 November

* Contracts to be discussed