German Car Forum

Race fans in Melbourne are in mourning as Formula One chief Bernie Ecclestone announced no more races will be held in the city after the contract expires in 2010. The news comes after the government refused to allow a night race, something which Mr. Ecclestone considered non-negotiable.

A government spokesman went on record to say "I'm sure Melbourne will survive without a Grand Prix," and that the city "…would be better without it." Last year the race lost an estimated 35 million dollars, and is expected to loose another 40 million this year. Recent reports have suggested that Ecclestone intends to meet with government officials in St. Petersburg about holding a race in Russia, essentially replacing the Melbourne event.

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080209.006/melbourne-grand-prix-
axed

Oh no, not another city circuit. Valencia, Malysia and Monaco is enough for crying out loud

The idea of a night race sounds quite exciting...... Im sure Australian fans must be pretty upset.

.. you got that right BMW Power. Freakin' Bernie... hate that son of a...

Why are so many circuits being cut?

I'm not much of a fan of the track but please, no more street courses!
and bring back Hockenheim and Imola!

replace it with a race in scandenavia i say..
cuase racing is big here, need i say more than finland?

Burn Bernie. Why has the Melbourne GP been unporfitable?

Aussie GP set to be axed


The Australian Grand Prix must become a night race or lose its place on the calendar, according to Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
But a week before the season opener in Melbourne next Sunday, the 77-year-old Briton added that the switch looked unlikely and the race appeared doomed.
"The only way the race could stay in Melbourne, or anywhere else in Australia, is if it is staged during the night so that the public in Europe can watch it," Ecclestone told the Mail on Sunday newspaper.
"At the moment, it is ridiculous that people are asked not to sleep in order to see it live.
"That can't carry on. The alternative is to pull the race completely from Australia.
"I've spoken to (Australian Prime Minister) Kevin Rudd and he's told me it would cost too much to re-stage the race, so I guess that's it. We won't be going to Australia for too much longer."
Melbourne's Albert Park circuit hosts the season opener next Sunday with the race starting later than in the past in a bid to satisfy television broadcasters in the sport's European heartland.
Singapore, which makes its debut with a street race in September, will be Formula One's first night grand prix and Malaysia is also considering holding its race under floodlights in future.
Melbourne has hosted the Australian Grand Prix since 1996, when it moved from Adelaide, and has a contract to 2010. The race has become the established opening event but has suffered financial losses.
Ecclestone has no shortage of candidates to take Australia's place, with Abu Dhabi coming in next year as a second Middle East race and India and South Korea lined up for Grands Prix in 2010.
Bahrain hosted the season opener in 2006 when Melbourne was hosting the Commonwealth Games.
There has also been talk of Russia having a grand prix while many sponsors and manufacturers want a U.S. race to be reinstated on the calendar after the disappearance of Indianapolis this season.
Reuters

Because F1 was bought by CVC Capital Partners on big loans/debt, and now those loans have to be payed. F1 went from making over 300 millions in profit to 3 million in loses due to the debt payment and the only way to make it profitable again is thru selling races to the highest government subsidized bidder.
It either Bernie eliminating the cheapskates or no more F1 at all.

i never liked Bernie, 1st off. secondly, i don't like the aussie circuit either. i've always preferred the old straight line hockenheimring, for example.

Well that's Bernie, he doesn't take no for an answer. Now when he's done with Australian, the British GP next of his list.

Sydney willing to host F1 night race



Sydney has counted itself as still in the hunt to snatch the Australian grand prix from rival city Melbourne. Even though Bernie Ecclestone recently dismissed the famous Australian city’s positioning for the event, the
F1 boss might be interested in new claims that Sydney would be prepared to consider a night race.

While the race’s current paymasters have categorically ruled out Ecclestone’s demand for floodlights at Albert Park, New South Wales state premier Morris Iemma has promised to look into installing the infrastructure at the Sydney circuit Eastern Creek, which is currently a venue of the A1GP series.

“It’s not a blank cheque, but it could be held at a place like Eastern Creek, obviously with modifications,” Iemma is quoted as saying by Melbourne’s Herald Sun.

“If formula one is looking for a night race then Eastern Creek could be converted to suit them,” he added.

Melbourne based major events minister Tim Holding, however, played down the prospect of a successful formula one bid by Sydney.

“The proof of the pudding is in the tasting,” he said. “They have to secure some events and people will take them seriously after that.”

Lol looks like the Aussies let down their guard and meet Bernies demands. I do give them props for having the balls to say no from the get go.