Aussies refuse to move F1 start time

The 2010 Australian Grand Prix will not be the season opener once again and once again the event will start at 5pm local time. Unlike the recent Abu Dhabi event that started in twilight conditions and continued into the night, the Albert park event will see the drivers facing twilight conditions in the final fifteen or so laps with no artificial lighting to help guide the way.

While people down under are not overly impressed with F1 ringleader Bernie Ecclestone’s demands to hold their annual event in a time more suited for the European fan base than the fans they are actually racing in front of, live, they tolerated the latter change of time. However, now Ecclestone is saying that their efforts were not good enough and the Aussie event needs to be held even later.

"When you say last year was twilight, I don't know how twilight it was," he was quoted as saying in the Herald Sun. "The later we can get that race, the better it is for us. Ron (Walker, Aus GP boss) and I are talking about all these things."

Despite the fact that Ecclestone is keen to get the event held even later, the Victorian Government is standing firm on their signed agreement to host the event until 2015 at twilight with no artificial lighting to be added.

"We have a firm position on when the race should be held. Bernie Ecclestone is well aware of that position and the time of the race will not be moved," said spokesman Lyall Johnson.

With the race being held at such a late hour in 09, the event lost the most it ever has with a whopping 40.2 million dollar deficit, however it has been reported that European viewing figures had tripled.