With new road-course races in Brazil and New Orleans, the 2015 IndyCar calendar revealed will include 17 events from March through August, one fewer than last season.

Australian Will Power will begin his bid to defend the 2014 crown in the opener on March 8 at Brazilia’s Nelson Piquet International Autodrome in the only event outside North America.

“It’s great to see the IndyCar Series going back to Brazil and expanding internationally,” Andretti Autosport team owner Michael Andretti said at the announcement of the calendar.

“Having a presence outside of the US is important for the health of the series.”

After a March 29 race on the streets of St Petersburg, Florida, IndyCar will venture to a street course in suburban New Orleans on April 12 for its other new event.

In all there will be six oval races, six on road courses and four on temporary street circuits.

Compared to 2014’s 18-race program, two events were lost in Houston and one was scrapped in Toronto, where the date was moved ahead one month to June 14 to accommodate the 2015 Pan American Games being hosted in the Canadian city.

The campaign will conclude August 30 on a road course at Sonoma, California. It will be the first time IndyCar has finished a season on a road course and the first time since the 2007 Champ Car finish at Mexico City for such vehicles to conclude a campaign over that type of layout.

“Sonoma has always been a great circuit,” said three-time IndyCar season champion Scott Dixon of New Zealand. “It’s a very technical and challenging track.”

The 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be staged May 24 while the second-year Grand Prix of Indianapolis will be May 9 on the infield road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The oval at Fontana, California, hosted the closing event this year where Power clinched the crown over Brazilian rival Helio Castroneves, but that race will move to June 27 next year.

2015 INDAYCAR SCHEDULE

March 8: Brasilia, Brazil road course

March 29: St. Petersburg, Florida, street course

April 12: Avondale, Louisiana, road course

April 19: Long Beach, Californai, street course

April 26: Birmingham, Alabama, road course

May 9: Grand Prix of Indianapolis road course

May 24: Indianapolis 500, oval

May 30-31: Detroit, street course

June 6: Fort Worth, Texas, oval

June 14: Toronto, street course

June 27: Fontana, California, oval

July 12: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, oval

July 18: Newton, Iowa, oval

August 2: Mid-Ohio, road course

August 23: Pocono Raceway, oval

August 30: Sonoma Raceway, road course