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[AKR]

seeing as Australias current position is unsuitable for a world championship.
there is another option, we can move the Australian continent so it suits the important parts of the planet, maybe stick it in the middle of the Atlantic ocean! yes great idea.

Ok lets do that. I'll lead a Jedi army to use the Force and move the Australian continent to where you say the Atlantic, and then problem will be solved. Will even mean shorter flights home to Europe. Great. I'll get to work on it right away. *LOL*

[Denthúl]

Reading this post the People in the US, Mostly on the west coast area the best fans. We dont think nothing of getting up at 2-3am to watch F-1. Its normal.. House is quiet, I know my phones not gonna ring, nobody gonna knock on my door, wifey asleep, got my 6r of coors, nice dry summer night, Life dosnt get better, Let the race begin..

Pacer

Not to mention the fact that the majority of Europeans don't work on a Sunday, therefore should have no real problem getting up early and thus, eventually, going to bed a bit early that evening. I think, rather than dropping Australia for his latest find in the east, he should just extend the calendar by a race or two. That way, he'll get himself even more money!

Also, I don't see his problem anyway. The races normally shown really early in the morning are shown twice on a Sunday. I remember having to watch the second showing of the Japanese Grand Prix last year at midday instead of 4:00am. But I wasn't bothered about that.

[AKR]

Bernie is a KURAC (D1CK) and you know why? The night race thing is an excuse. He just wants to get rid of Australia from the calendar. Something just crossed my mind. Without daylight savings Melbourne is only 1 hour ahead in time of Tokyo. With daylight savings it is 2 hours. Adelaide on the other hand is 30 minutes or 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead respectively and Perth (Western Austrakia) is actually an hour behind Japan and or the same time with daylight savings. So the big question is why doesn't Bernie hassle Japan about having a night race otherwise you're out? Ummm interesting isn't it? Bernie is nothing more than a pathetic cur and when his time in F1 is up, all the better for all.

[Denthúl]

Because he can squeeze as much money as he wants out of Japan and they'll pay it? It's not like they can't afford to, really. They're a wealthy nation. And the track that he would most likely replace Albert park with would probably be terrible. Imagine the season opener being in somewhere like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Korea etc.

Sure, I've nothing against those places. But it just wouldn't be the same as kicking off a new season in Australia.

[AKR]

Because he can squeeze as much money as he wants out of Japan and they'll pay it? It's not like they can't afford to, really. They're a wealthy nation. And the track that he would most likely replace Albert park with would probably be terrible. Imagine the season opener being in somewhere like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Korea etc.

Sure, I've nothing against those places. But it just wouldn't be the same as kicking off a new season in Australia.

Saudi Arabia and UAE. Bad places for F1 in my opinion. It is enough there is Bahrain on the calendar. Bring back Argentina for God sake. But no of course Bernie the Kurac wont do that because in Argentina there is not much money. Only thing Benie fails to understand that in Argentina, like in Australia there are many diehard F1 fans unlike in those Middle Eastern countries.

[Red Racer]

Bernie is a KURAC (D1CK) and you know why? The night race thing is an excuse. He just wants to get rid of Australia from the calendar. Something just crossed my mind. Without daylight savings Melbourne is only 1 hour ahead in time of Tokyo. With daylight savings it is 2 hours. Adelaide on the other hand is 30 minutes or 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead respectively and Perth (Western Austrakia) is actually an hour behind Japan and or the same time with daylight savings. So the big question is why doesn't Bernie hassle Japan about having a night race otherwise you're out? Ummm interesting isn't it? Bernie is nothing more than a pathetic cur and when his time in F1 is up, all the better for all.

Just think if honda and toyotas headquaters were here would bernie still want to get rid of aussie??????.

And i have no simerthy towards the people in europe who dont like gettong up at 7. im in aus an i get up for every race wich ranges from 11pm to brazil 4am

[Denthúl]

Bernie is a KURAC (D1CK) and you know why? The night race thing is an excuse. He just wants to get rid of Australia from the calendar. Something just crossed my mind. Without daylight savings Melbourne is only 1 hour ahead in time of Tokyo. With daylight savings it is 2 hours. Adelaide on the other hand is 30 minutes or 1 hour and 30 minutes ahead respectively and Perth (Western Austrakia) is actually an hour behind Japan and or the same time with daylight savings. So the big question is why doesn't Bernie hassle Japan about having a night race otherwise you're out? Ummm interesting isn't it? Bernie is nothing more than a pathetic cur and when his time in F1 is up, all the better for all.

Just think if honda and toyotas headquaters were here would bernie still want to get rid of aussie??????.

And i have no simerthy towards the people in europe who dont like gettong up at 7. im in aus an i get up for every race wich ranges from 11pm to brazil 4am

I don't have any sympathy for them either. Well, some maybe. But the majority have nothing stopping them from going to bed a little earlier so that they can get up in time to watch the races. I must admit, I sometimes have trouble getting up for them. And this weekend should be pretty difficult, so I probably just won't go to bed at all until after the race. But it's a Sunday, so that doesn't matter to me.

And as I said earlier, the whiners can just watch the race again at 3pm...

[McLaren Fan]

From autosport.com:

Drivers give backing to Australian GP

By Julian Linden Friday, March 14th 2008, 08:58 GMT

Drivers at the press conference in AustraliaFormula One drivers have given their backing for the Australian Grand Prix to be retained on the Formula One calendar.

Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has threatened to ditch the race from the schedule after 2010 unless organisers agree to stage it at night to suit European television.

But the drivers, many of whom made their race debuts at the season-opening event at Melbourne's Albert Park, say they hope it survives.

"I really like this country. There is a fantastic atmosphere around the town," Italian driver Giancarlo Fisichella told a news conference on Friday.

"I have great memories of Melbourne. I had my first race here in 1996 and I won here in 2005.

"It's a special place for me and it would be nice to keep coming here in the future."

Mark Webber, the only current Australian driver in Formula One, has been a strong supporter of the race and said everything should be done to keep it.

"The Australian Grand Prix has been going for over 20 years so there is a lot of history here," Webber said.

"There have been a lot of historic moments and special drivers that have come here to race and we should really keep that in mind and embrace it.

"I think we need to work hard to try and continue to keep the event here, irrespective of whether there's an Australian on the grid or not."

He added: "I know it's a long way to come from Europe in terms of logistics ...but once everyone gets here and settles in, it's a great event.

"It's a safe city as well which is useful because not all the cities we go to are safe so we can relax and enjoy it."

Finland's Heikki Kovalainen only made his debut at Melbourne last year but said he was already warming to the event.

"For me it's great. Coming from Finland, I get a bit of a sun tan over here," he joked.

"I don't mind where they start the season but this is a great country and I hope we keep the race in Australia."

Ecclestone's threat to cancel the race has been front page news in the local media in the build-up to the race but local politicians are tiring of the newspaper speculation and say they have no intentions of staging the event at night.

Victoria state premier John Brumby said he planned to meet with Ecclestone later in the year to discuss the matter privately but would not engage in a public slanging match.

"I'm not in the business really of wanting to run a public debate with Bernie Ecclestone about the Grand Prix," Brumby told reporters on Friday.

"There are ways of negotiating these issues and we'll sit down with him at the appropriate time and negotiate the issues, but I don't intend to do it publicly."

[7UpJordan]

If Melbourne loses the race, it may not be the end of the Australian Grand Prix...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 79,00.html

'Sydney would welcome night race'
NSW premier 'interested' in Australian GP should Melbourne lose out

Last updated: 13th March 2008
'Sydney would welcome night race'

Should Melbourne lose its grand prix in the ongoing timezone battle with Bernie Ecclestone, Sydney could take over the Australian Grand Prix.

Melbourne's place on the calendar is under threat after Ecclestone refused to compromise on the race's starting time, F1's commerical rights controller wanting a night race in order to boost television audiences in Europe.

However, should Melbourne lose the grand prix it doesn't necessarily mean Australia will lose its slot on the calendar as New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma says Sydney's Eastern Creek circuit would be interested in hosting a night event.

"We're certainly interested," Iemma told Australian magazine Auto Action.

"We don't know if the race is available or not; it's just been speculation. But if the race is available at some stage we'd certainly be interested.

"It's not a blank cheque but it could be held at a place like Eastern Creek, obviously with modifications. If Formula One is looking for a night race then Eastern Creek can be converted to suit them."

Upgrades

Iemma is also confident that the local government would be willing to foot the bill for the necessary upgrades to the Eastern Creek cirucit.

"We've got the track that can be upgraded and modified to meet Formula One's needs and also the needs of motorsport fans," he added.

"There's no issue here with interfering with residents or commercial businesses. It's a standalone racing track. We've helped in the past and we will continue to do so. This is going to be a great motorsport precinct with the council and us having already approved (future development).

"We will see two to three thousand jobs created. We've got the Western Sydney International Dragway next door which we funded, at $33 million - and the Eastern Creek circuit itself is an important part of Sydney's motor racing future.

"We've invested heavily in the past and will continue to invest in the future, provided we've got the events and the races to continue to make it viable.

"We are investing $85 million over three years into our major events corporation and it's all about getting back into the business of big events. There's no reason motor racing can't be part of our major events calendar."

Melbourne's contract to stage the Australian Grand Prix expires in 2010.

[phren]

Those hopeing to keep the Aus GP better be cheering FIAt tomorrow. If they dont win Bernie will switch the race to India faster than Mosely can tell another lie.

[texasmr2]

Those hopeing to keep the Aus GP better be cheering FIAt tomorrow. If they dont win Bernie will switch the race to India faster than Mosely can tell another lie.

[McLaren Fan]

If Melbourne loses the race, it may not be the end of the Australian Grand Prix...

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 79,00.html

'Sydney would welcome night race'
NSW premier 'interested' in Australian GP should Melbourne lose out

Last updated: 13th March 2008
'Sydney would welcome night race'

Should Melbourne lose its grand prix in the ongoing timezone battle with Bernie Ecclestone, Sydney could take over the Australian Grand Prix.

Melbourne's place on the calendar is under threat after Ecclestone refused to compromise on the race's starting time, F1's commerical rights controller wanting a night race in order to boost television audiences in Europe.

However, should Melbourne lose the grand prix it doesn't necessarily mean Australia will lose its slot on the calendar as New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma says Sydney's Eastern Creek circuit would be interested in hosting a night event.

"We're certainly interested," Iemma told Australian magazine Auto Action.

"We don't know if the race is available or not; it's just been speculation. But if the race is available at some stage we'd certainly be interested.

"It's not a blank cheque but it could be held at a place like Eastern Creek, obviously with modifications. If Formula One is looking for a night race then Eastern Creek can be converted to suit them."

Upgrades

Iemma is also confident that the local government would be willing to foot the bill for the necessary upgrades to the Eastern Creek cirucit.

"We've got the track that can be upgraded and modified to meet Formula One's needs and also the needs of motorsport fans," he added.

"There's no issue here with interfering with residents or commercial businesses. It's a standalone racing track. We've helped in the past and we will continue to do so. This is going to be a great motorsport precinct with the council and us having already approved (future development).

"We will see two to three thousand jobs created. We've got the Western Sydney International Dragway next door which we funded, at $33 million - and the Eastern Creek circuit itself is an important part of Sydney's motor racing future.

"We've invested heavily in the past and will continue to invest in the future, provided we've got the events and the races to continue to make it viable.

"We are investing $85 million over three years into our major events corporation and it's all about getting back into the business of big events. There's no reason motor racing can't be part of our major events calendar."

Melbourne's contract to stage the Australian Grand Prix expires in 2010.

I have to say I like Albert Park, but it would be interesting to see what Sydney can do. It's a great city, a lot of architecture, culture etc. Adelaide always put on great races in the past as well, so it would good if they showed some interest as well. Basically, Australia has at least two quality venues for Formula One and it's important that we have a Grand Prix down under. Today's race certainly highlights that.

[darwin dali]

Why is it important to have a GP down under?

[texasmr2]

I removed my post because I was just in a pissy mood and took it out on everyone here, sorry.

[onelapdown]

Why is it important to have a GP down under?

Because it's such a great place to go racing. Aussies are probably the world's best sports fans.

The question in Bernie's mind is where else in the southern hemisphere are you going to be able to put on a race at this time of year? Not South Africa, and Brazil is hanging on by its fingertips. Argentina's too financially unstable to make long-term guarantees. The problem is that Brazil keeps the South American race because it's needed in order to market a "World Championship", but now that Singapore and Malaysia are on the calender, Australasia already has more than it's quota and the Oz GP is disposable. Also Bernie loves keeping host nations on their toes as it means he gets a better deal from all of them.