July 04, 2008

AUSTRALIA has secured the rights to host the F1 Grand Prix in Melbourne until 2015, with a new evening start to reach a greater television audience overseas, officials said Friday.

The race at Melbourne's Albert Park will start 90 minutes later at 5:00 pm (0600 GMT) from next year after a new contract was signed with Formula One bosses overnight, Victorian Premier John Brumby said.

“Next year's later start time will mean even greater television audiences in the United Kingdom, Asia and European markets, which means more exposure for 'brand Melbourne' than ever before,” Brumby said.

The new timing is an apparent compromise following pressure from F1 chiefs for Australia to hold the race at night to suit European TV audiences. The event had been in danger of being handed to Russia, India or Korea.

The Victorian state government had said it would do “whatever is fair and reasonable” to keep the event after its current contract expires in 2010, but had repeatedly refused to introduce a night race.

The government said installing the necessary lighting would cost too much. The new deal includes an agreement that no artificial lighting will be used for the race for the term of the contract.

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he was delighted with the new arrangement.

“I have wanted changes to the local race time so that we can increase the television audience in Europe and Asia,” he said in a statement.

“I'm satisfied that the decision to move to a later start time for 2009 races is a win for television audiences in Europe and Asia, a win for Melbourne and a win for Formula One as a whole.”

Despite the benefits of tourism and publicity for Melbourne, the Formula One race has been a costly financial exercise for Victoria.

The Melbourne race cost the state almost 35 million Australian dollars (33 million US) of taxpayer money in 2007 and has been budgeted for more than 40 million dollars this year.

But Brumby said the Grand Prix, which this year attracted more than 300,000 people over the four-day event won by Lewis Hamilton, was value for money.

“The Grand Prix has been an outstanding event for Victoria over a long period of time and has helped put Melbourne on a global stage,” he said.

“Retaining the event is important to Victoria's ongoing growth and prosperity.”
Peter Goad, who heads the Save Albert Park group which wants the race relocated from the suburban park to a permanent track, said the contract extension was “irrational.”

“It's wrong politically... economically and environmentally,” Goad told national news agency Australian Associated Press.

“It's a waste of money and the worst thing about it all is that it flies in the face of current thinking about climate change.”

Melbourne has hosted the Australian Grand Prix since 1996.