The boss of the Albert Park grand prix track in Melbourne has produced a somewhat bizarre list of countries that could knock Australia off the Formula One schedule, as the long-term future of the race continues to be threatened.
The Albert Park track's current contract lasts through to the end of the 2015 season, but this week Bernie Ecclestone hinted that he was happy to discuss terminating the deal over a spat with Melbourne mayor Robert Doyle.Doyle hinted last week that the 2015 race could be the track's last F1 appearance, stating that the costs of holding the race were spiraling out of control.
But the Australian Grand Prix Corporation chief Ron Walker said that there were any number of new countries and circuits that could replace Australia on the calendar if they did not secure the long-term future of the event after 2015.
"The race will not leave here until 2015, that is for sure - unless the Government decides to talk to Mr Ecclestone about termination," Walker told the Herald Sun newspaper on Saturday.
But he added that: "There are a number of people who the race could go to, such as Russia, India and Warsaw in Poland.
"Qatar, Dubai and Kuwait want one, and they are negotiating in New York for a race on Staten Island."
Walker also said that he is working on reducing the costs of the event for future seasons, to try and curb the losses that the race weekend has been making in recent seasons.
"The only expense that will not be spared is the 'Melbourne' sign at the start-finish line - which goes into Russia, China and India during prime time," Walker promised.
He went on: "You can save hundreds of thousands of dollars by having less cosmetics at the track, and all these things are being looked at at the moment.
"You can always direct the cameras to certain areas of the track, which is what happens anyway.
"But it is driving into the place, driving out, keeping all of the beautiful lawns mowed and the presentation that are affected."
The race weekend itself made a loss of almost $50 million in 2010, but Walker has insisted that the overall benefit to Melbourne easily cancels that cost out.
He has claimed that the 2010 race generated $160 million of 'economic benefits' to the Melbourne region.
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
