LONDON (AP) - The Belgian Grand Prix was dropped from the Formula One schedule Monday because of a ban on tobacco advertising.

"In the absence of unanimous agreement by the teams to run at the 2003 Belgian Grand Prix without tobacco advertising, this event has been removed from the World Championship calendar," the FIA Formula One Commission said in a statement.

The Belgian government wants to introduce a national ban on tobacco advertising in August 2003, a month before the race was scheduled. A European ban goes into effect in 2006.

The cancelation of the Belgian GP leaves 16 races on the F1 calendar next year.