Comments on: Report: Australian Grand Prix saved

By: Fixy

Fixy — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 15:13:36 +0000

One of the best tracks and most entertaining races of the season. Really do hope it remains in F1.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 08:52:10 +0000

Not everyone wants the race saving. This is the city of Port Phillip mayor Janet Cribbes: After 14 years, residents have had more than enough. Why should they have to suffer the noise and the inconvenience of a car race in a park for a race whose public price tag blew out to A$41.3m ($38.8m US dollars) last year? The cost of staging the event has risen steadily each year. More here

By: Terry Fabulous

Terry Fabulous — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:27:21 +0000

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23865230-39478,00.html

Herald Sun (Scum) reporting that the race is saved for 5 years at 5pm.

Interestingly, Eastern Creek has brought some Track redesigners, I believe the same org that worked on Silverstone in to produce a report on turning the venue into a F1 quality destination. Stay Tuned.

By: Scootin159

Scootin159 — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:22:09 +0000

That’s great news, we didn’t have enough 3am races in the US before… no wonder F1 can’t get a stronghold here.

By: Scott Joslin

Scott Joslin — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 10:34:17 +0000

MartyP – I don’t think the organisers of the Melbourne Grand Prix make the decision with financial figures as the main priority as otherwise they would have, as you mentioned just held a round of the V8 championship.

What the Grand Prix gives the city and Australia as a whole is sporting Kudos in holding a worldwide event as opposed to the national event that is the V8 championship.

This prestige brings in sponsors and tourism from all over the globe. I am not suggesting for one minute that V8′s cannot do this but only to a lesser extent.

I am happy Oz is going to stay on the calender as it has it’s own character and atmosphere that rivals any on the F1 circuit.

I have been to Melbourne in March and the evenings get cool quite quickly around this time, with the track being dusty and unused these low temperatures will make it more difficult to get the temperature in the tires.

By: MartyP

MartyP — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 07:56:58 +0000

You raise a very good point Francios. The South Australian Government replaced Formula One in Adelaide with the ‘Clipsal 500’ touring car race. This has now become one of the largest sporting events in Australia and this year drew a crowd of almost 300,000. It may sound awful but they simply don’t need a Grand Prix anymore. Adelaide reaps plenty of benefit from the Aussie V8’s and does so without the massive race fees that F1 would demand.

By: Pink Peril

Pink Peril — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:11:21 +0000

The Herald Scum (as it is known locally) may have jumped the gun on this a bit. The Chairman of the AGPC – Ron Walker – meets with Bernie today in London. I’d say an announcement is immiment, but it’s anyones guess as to whether it’s favourable or not. Certainly there must have been preliminary discussions but from what I have heard both sides are pretty intractable on the night race issue (us against, Bernie for). So we’ll just have to see.

In response to a couple of the questions asked, 5pm would be really too late to run the race because of the sunset at around 7.30-7.45pm. And although the track only faces west for a small amount of time, the sun glare during twilight would be absolutely blinding for the drivers. Then there would be the shadows from the trees etc. 4pm is realisically the latest time the race could start.

As for alternative venues – there aren’t really any atm. Both Eastern Creek and Philip Island would need significant upgrades to support F1. Also Philip Island is 1.5-2 hrs out of Melbourne with bugger all transport options and limited accommodation. You just wouldn’t get the crowds to justify it.
Bathurst is out because of the track layout – I’d love to see it, but there is no way the F1 cars would be able to make it through Skyline.

And the Adelaide track is a bit of a car bender circuit, and I am not sure the FIA would consider it suitable any longer for F1 cars. Plus I don’t beleive the SA Government would have the $$$ to pay Bernie for the fee.

Fingers crossed, hey?

By: francois

francois — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 09:15:07 +0000

“There is a distinct lack of potential Grand Prix venues in Australia so Albert Park is the only realistic option at the moment.”

Do they not want F1 back at Adelaide? – or do they not have enough space in their timetable now they host a lot of V8 touring car races?

By: milos

milos — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 06:20:07 +0000

We can think what we want about Bernie and his greediness. But even if we forget the safety issues of finishing the race in dark conditions there simply has to be enough light for TV coverage … What would be the sense for Ecclestone to have the race start at decent hours for European audiences if there was a risk that nobody will be able to see the end of the race …

Let’s see and wait what they come up with…

By: MartyP

MartyP — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 01:05:02 +0000

Hi Daniel, sadly neither Phillip Island nor Eastern Creek have the facilities to accommodate a Formula One Grand Prix. Both circuits are too small and lack the surrounding infrastructure to host an F1 race. There is a distinct lack of potential Grand Prix venues in Australia so Albert Park is the only realistic option at the moment. Hopefully they have saved it!