Melbourne to drop F1 race
F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone recently warned that flood-lighting the Albert Park track next year might be the only way the country could extend its grand prix contract beyond 2010, and it now emerges that the state government has set aside an additional $16.6 million for its tourism budget for 2007-8.
But tourism minister Tim Holding is quoted as saying by the news agency AAP: "This has got absolutely nothing to do with a night grand prix."
Victorian premier Steve Bracks also rubbished the rumors, telling reporters: "They have to be joking.
"There's no proposals that have been developed for a night grand prix and therefore nothing has been expended, spent or developed."
05/19/07 Speaking to the Australian publication, Ecclestone revealed that if the organizers of the Australian Grand Prix don’t host the race under lights, then there is a good chance that it will be moved from its current Albert Park location
"When the contract comes up, we have to have a look and see exactly what we will be doing with Melbourne," he said. "Unless they (organizers) can come up with something satisfactory, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't be able to continue there. I would like to make sure we can watch (the race) in Europe and other parts of the world at a respectable time rather than having to get up at three or four in the morning."
Melbourne’s contract expires in 2010 and there is a new venue making itself known near the Gold Coast in Queensland (see related rumor), close to the ChampCar track at Surfers Paradise, that could be the new host as it is said to be installing lights to accommodate for night events from the start. For Melbourne, the cost of doing this would be inhibitive and the local residents would not appreciate the thunder of F1 engines at 9 pm.
05/19/07 (GMM) Organizers of the Australian grand prix have been told to stage a night race next year or forego a contract extension after the event in 2010.
The Adelaide newspaper Sunday Mail will on Sunday quote F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone as warning that only a floodlit race held after 9pm at Albert Park next March may be enough to satisfy the sport's officialdom.
"Unless they (organizers) can come up with something that's going to satisfy us I'm pretty sure we wouldn't be able to continue there," he said, not long after inking a deal with Singapore for the first ever night race in 2008.
The news is just the latest installment in the flagging fortunes of the Melbourne race, which has suffered growing losses and declining crowd numbers and local sponsorship in recent years.
Ecclestone said GP boss Ron Walker knows about his demands for a night race.
"Ron is not stupid and he knows exactly what is at stake," the 76-year-old Briton said, although an insider at the Australian Grand Prix Corporation warned that it is unlikely to happen.
"To have formula one cars hooning around Albert Park at 9pm won't go down well with the locals and it's a family event, so afternoon is obviously the ideal time," the unnamed insider said.
A Victorian government spokesman, however, insisted: "We will be seeking to keep the event in Melbourne."