F1 gone?

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 13th February 2008, 07:22 AM

Filed under: Motorsports, Hirings/Firings, Australia

As any racing fan Down Under will tell you, the Australian Grand Prix has a long and rich history. The event has been held annually since 1928, and has been a staple of the Formula One calendar since 1985, usually either kicking off or ending the season. History might not be worth as much as cold hard cash to Bernie Ecclestone, though, as the F1 manager is reportedly preparing to scrap the Melbourne event in favor of a new one in Russia.
This weekend Ecclestone was slated to meet with government officials in St. Petersburg to discuss building a new circuit there to host a Russian Grand Prix. But with the calendar already stretched thin, something's got to give, and Ecclestone has reportedly grown impatient with the Aussie event, whose organizers have been resistant to the idea of turning their event into a night race like Singapore's, prompting reports that Bernie won't renew Australia's contract beyond 2010. With the Indian Grand Prix set to debut in the same year, F1 could be dominated by events in Asia by the end of the decade.
[Source: F1-Live]

**Captain_Rightfoot** · 13th February 2008, 07:30 AM

Very interesting!

**p38arover** · 13th February 2008, 07:34 AM

If CAMS are involved, I understand Bernie's frustration.

**Pedro_The_Swift** · 13th February 2008, 07:44 AM

its not cams,,
its the organisers--

F1 already runs under FIA which is the "controlling body" of cams

**Fusion** · 13th February 2008, 07:55 AM

A night race seems to be a bit stupid . what are they going to do put head lights on the F1 cars

**Redback** · 13th February 2008, 08:20 AM

Who cares, they just go round and round and round and round and round

**dobbo** · 13th February 2008, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by Redback

Who cares, they just go round and round and round and round and round

You don't go to the Grand Prix to just watch the race. There are other things to see and do. It's a festival of bloke type stuff, without all the riff raff from the mountain.

**Redback** · 13th February 2008, 09:32 AM

Originally Posted by dobbo

You don't go to the Grand Prix to just watch the race. There are other things to see and do. It's a festival of bloke type stuff, without all the riff raff from the mountain.

The riff raff are still there, they just dress better

**D3Jon** · 13th February 2008, 09:33 AM

Little Bern does this a lot.

He tried it on with Silverstone a few years ago, saying they must improve the facilities or he will take the GP away, he always does this a couple of years before a tracks contract is up.

He's just trying to push Melbourne into a night race... why? Because it will fit in better with global TV scheduling.

**moose** · 13th February 2008, 03:12 PM

Seems bernie is just more interested in the cash and the large european audiences, plus the fact that F1 just ain't that interesting, I reckon he can take it.

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