Aus GP heads for worst spectator numbers

(GMM) Less spectators flocked to Albert Park on Thursday compared with any other year in the F1 event's 14-year history.

The poor result – just over 42,000 spectators – is believed to have led to organisers' decision to delay the release of Friday's numbers until Saturday morning.

"I think it's the economic times and some discretionary spending by families," promoter Ron Walker told the local Herald Sun newspaper.

The fact the four-day 2009 event was recording poor ticket sales almost certainty explains the reduction in size this year of the main start-finish grandstand.

Walker added: "But we were only down by a couple of thousand, so it's hardly worth talking about."