Brands Hatch has been left off the provisional World Superbike Calendar for 2009 but a race in Italy has yet to be assigned a track which may provide the Kent venue with a lifeline.

It is believed that WSB promoters FGSport have had a tiff with Brands owners MSVR about race sanctioning fees being increased for the 2009 series which means that if MSVr Jonathan Palmer isn't prepared to pay them, then the most popular race in the WSB calendar will remain off the schedule.

This would be a brave move by FGSport boss Paolo Flammini, but he has a history of those where racing is concerned, including being the first to use a single-tyre rule in world championship racing.

The calendar is:

March 1: Australia (Phillip Island) - SBK SSP

March 14: Qatar (Doha/Losail) - SBK SSP *

April 5: Spain (Valencia) - SBK SSP STK

April 26: Netherlands (Assen) - SBK SSP STK

May 10: Italy (Monza) - SBK SSP STK **

May 17: South Africa (Kyalami) - SBK SSP

May 31: United States (Salt Lake City) - SBK SSP

June 21: San Marino (Misano) - SBK SSP STK

June 28: Great-Britain (Donington Park) - SBK SSP STK

July 26: Czech Republic (Brno) - SBK SSP STK

September 6: Germany (Nürburgring) - SBK SSP STK

September 27: Italy (tba) - SBK SSP

October 4: France (Magny-Cours) - SBK SSP STK

October 25: Portugal (Portimão) - SBK SSP STK

* : Saturday

** : subject to contract

tba : to be announced