Is the Australian GP under threat?

PI would need a lot of work - but it could make a great F1 track. But I don't see it happening - if Melbourne loses the race it will be lost to another country, not another city.
 
Australian company could provide Albert Park with lighting

13 December 2007

The Australian Grand Prix might become a night grand prix after all. An Australian company, Hella Australia, has developed an innovative trackside illumination system that is being pitched for grand prix work, but could revolutionise night coverage of a wide range of sports.

The reflector system is said to be safe, immune to blackouts, shadow-free and compatible for live TV coverage.

The company has already ran a secret test at the Calder Park Raceway (Australia) in November, which involved Red Bull F1 driver Mark Webber and former world motorcycle champion Mick Doohan according to Australian newspaper Herald Sun. Hella Australia has submitted the results to the FIA, for certification of its system. "We have shown it can be done. That is the most important thing," Hella Australia spokesman Thomas Plessinger told the Herald Sun. "A year ago it was a dream, but now we know it's realistic. We are submitting our technical measurements and television footage to the FIA and Formula One management and we are waiting for their response," Plessinger said.

Source

I'd like to see the test footage, to see how good it is.
 
Bump.

Australia likely to lose F1 Grand Prix

February 3, 2008 - 10:33AM

Australia looks likely to lose its Formula One Grand Prix.

The prestigious motor race has been held in Australia for 25 years, but current host Melbourne faces losing the event to India, Russia or Korea.

F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone says Melbourne's contract for the race, due to be held at the Albert Park circuit in March, has little chance of being renewed beyond 2010, reports say.

"Maybe we don't want to be in Australia," he said.

"Our costs are very high in Australia and we get a lot less money. It's bloody bad for us.

"We've got quite a few places on the list which would like to have Formula One and as it seems your guy (Victorian Premier John Brumby) down there doesn't want Formula One, we can make him happy and make the other people happy."

Mr Brumby has previously raised doubts about the race, which has been steadily losing money - more than $120 million since the city lured the event from Adelaide in 1996.

Mr Ecclestone, who has not yet discussed the future of the race with Australian Grand Prix chairman Ron Walker, said manufacturers and sponsors supported a move.

He said there would be strict conditions if Melbourne did succeed in retaining the race, the News Ltd report said.

"In Melbourne, if we were to continue to be there, we would have to have a night race," he said.

He also ruled out any other Australian state hosting the race.

Source

The end is near.
 
Have to agree with him about Brumby though, he really is an idiot. I cant' imagine holding a race in Korea being cheaper than melbourne but the other cities would be cheaper I guess
 
Is anyone else really put off by the confrontational fuck-it-all attitude that Bernie has when it comes to crossing off the races held in major countries? Wish Oz got to keep their race, but the forces that be...
 
It should never have left Adelaide full stop. Melbourne did a sneaky deal, and we lost out, even though we were pulling more spectators and breaking even on Saturday.

Shame if the Adelaide Grand Prix leaves Australia all because Melbourne isnt looking after it very well.
 
Adelaide were passionate about their race, and in 1995, the crowds gathered up in the largest numbers previously counted at a GP. Apparently, over the 4 days, more than 500 thousand people were at the circuit. And in Adelaide they also got 2 title showdowns, in 1986 and 1994, and 2 of the wettest races in history ('89 and '91).
 
^ also the shortest race in history, 14 laps!

We had concerts after the event too, Bon Jovi, Paul Simon, Cher to name three. 205,000 rocked up on the Sunday of the 1995 event, in 42 degree heat, then the majority stayed for Bon Jovi and fireworks. I still remember that day. Damon winning by 2 laps, the heat, the concert and people crying when the fireworks were on as they knew it was over.

Adelaide and F1 were made for each other. There wouldnt be this sort of commotion right now if it hadn't been snatched by greedy Melbourne.
 
Grand Prix axing rejected

THE Victorian Government and Australian Grand Prix chairman Ron Walker have rejected speculation Melbourne is in danger of losing its Formula One car race because it is not financially viable.

Mr Walker today said the race was viable, despite losing almost $35 million last year, and it had widespread support to stay in Melbourne beyond 2010.

He flatly rejected claims by F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone that teams and sponsors wanted the event axed from Melbourne and Victorian Premier John Brumby had withdrawn his support.

?I don't agree with that at all, I speak to the teams regularly and they love coming to Melbourne, everybody loves coming to Melbourne,? Mr Walker said.

?The Premier's been a great supporter of it, even in opposition ... but it has to add up in the eyes of the taxpayer.?

Mr Walker predicted the Grand Prix would lose $40 million this year but said the losses must be balanced against the sport's economic benefits.

Late last year, Mr Brumby cast doubt on the future of the event, saying it could become too expensive if licence fees continued to rise.

Mr Ecclestone is said to be chasing overseas venues for the Grand Prix, which would attract more money, greater sponsorship and greater television audiences.

Australian motor racing chiefs considered hosting a night race to cash in on overseas audiences in a better timeslot but the move was ruled out.

The race instead moved from 2pm to 3.30pm (AEDT), which Mr Walker said would attract tens of millions more television viewers.

?I think that that compromise has been well accepted by Mr Ecclestone, but at the same time I think this is just his first shot over the bow in his negotiations with the government on the renewal of the contract,? Mr Walker said.

?All things have a used-by date sticker on them and maybe the government might say, `look it's been with us for 13 or 14 years or whatever it's going to be and it's time for a change', but we don't know yet.

?It's viable now because we have $135 million in economic benefit and we collect about $16 million in tax against a construction cost of $26 million, so it balances itself out.?

Mr Walker said the future of the Grand Prix was up to the Victorian Government but scrapping the event from Melbourne would cost the state millions of dollars and massive worldwide exposure.

Speaking for the Victorian government today, Major Events and Tourism Minister Tim Holding said the grand prix would continue in Melbourne, provided it continued to represent value for money and continued to be in the state's best interests.

Mr Holding said the event showcased Melbourne to the world and had spin-offs for the state economy, but organisers would not be changing its timing.

?We've made it clear we will not have a night race, Mr Ecclestone has made it clear he accepts that decision and, in fact, supports it,? the Minister said.

?Any claim that the Government does not support this event is just plainly wrong.?

Mr Holding said the Melbourne grand prix consistently got the best crowd attendance figures, adding F1 drivers considered Melbourne the best circuit in the world.

And Mr Walker said the race was seen by 350 million people in 132 countries.

Source
 
^ So the premier says he doesnt support the Grand Prix being there, but does now?
 
We had concerts after the event too, Bon Jovi, Paul Simon, Cher to name three. 205,000 rocked up on the Sunday of the 1995 event, in 42 degree heat, then the majority stayed for Bon Jovi and fireworks.

This year Melbourne are trying that out with concerts each day with a Major Concert Sunday evening by KISS, can't remember the other bands/artist but I know one is Evermore and another is Dean Geyer (Not So Great).
 
I'm sorry but some old has-been rock band that hasn't been popular since the 80's, a bland all-male cheese/pop group and a reality show reject aren't going to entice many people to attend. What kind of demographic are they targeting with that rubbish.
 
Exactly, I will be going to the grand prix this year on saturday and sunday. I will not be sticking around to see KISS.
 
^ As long as Adelaide finishes the season, then thats fine!!
 
^ Then we've got a deal. :clap:

Season will start with europe, hit the america's (US, Canada, Brazil), then back to europe, then asia to end the season.
 
MELBOURNE LOSES GRAND PRIX AFTER 2010

Flag falls on F1 race

FORMULA One chief Bernie Ecclestone has slammed the door on Melbourne's chances of retaining the Grand Prix.
Days after revealing the race was all but over, Mr Ecclestone said there was now no chance it would be held in Melbourne after 2010.

The Victorian Government this week responded to pressure on the race's future by confirming it would not consider hosting the Albert Park event at night.

Mr Ecclestone said that decision effectively severed Australia's 23-year record of hosting the international event, which originated in Adelaide.

But lone Formula One star Mark Webber has urged the Brumby Government to embrace a night Grand Prix and save Melbourne from losing the event.

Webber said the Grand Prix was crucial to Melbourne's international reputation and the Government had to accept change to salvage it.

"We should fight to have a night race," he said.

Source

Bloody Victorians. Quick Adelaide, save the event NOW!!!!!
 
Doesn't actually bother me - frankly I'm sick to death to Bernie's manipulations & game playing, all for the mighty dollar while completey forgetting the fans. And it's not a case of Melbourne losing the GP, it's Australia. It won't go to another city (no Australian city will meet Bernie's financial demands), it will go to another country.
 
Not good. Not good at all.

Bernie is still the motorbike dealer that he used to be in the '40s: always sniffing around for the best deal and for the most money. He doesn't give a sh*t about what fans want. That's why he has dumped Australia, that's why he's trying to dump Silverstone and so on.
 
What I don't get is why bother to go to these other countries and hold a race there if ultimatly they want the race held at prime Euro time? I say good on Melbourne for sticking to their guns as what else would Bernie want them to bend over for in the future? Plus it hasn't been proven whether or not a night race can work or if it will even be popular once the novelty wears off.
 
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