Australian Grand Prix organisers could move the start time of the 2009 race to late afternoon as they seek a compromise with Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
It has been decided Sunday's event at Melbourne's Albert Park will start at 3.30pm, rather than 2pm, to attract a larger television audience across Europe and Asia.
If that proves a success, organisers may then start next year's grand prix at 5pm in the hope that will appease Ecclestone, who has long called for the race to become a night-time event, or run the risk of losing their contract beyond 2010.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Ron Walker said: "If starting the race later this year increases the television audience around the world, as we believe it will, we'll seek a 5pm start for the 2009 race.
"That will mean a 7am start time for the television coverage in Europe, finishing at about 8.40am; a 6am start time in the UK, finishing at about 7.40am; and an afternoon start and finish across the Asian continent where there are potentially hundreds of millions of extra viewers.
"All this can be achieved without any additional infrastructure costs."
source : www.sportinglife.com
It has been decided Sunday's event at Melbourne's Albert Park will start at 3.30pm, rather than 2pm, to attract a larger television audience across Europe and Asia.
If that proves a success, organisers may then start next year's grand prix at 5pm in the hope that will appease Ecclestone, who has long called for the race to become a night-time event, or run the risk of losing their contract beyond 2010.
Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Ron Walker said: "If starting the race later this year increases the television audience around the world, as we believe it will, we'll seek a 5pm start for the 2009 race.
"That will mean a 7am start time for the television coverage in Europe, finishing at about 8.40am; a 6am start time in the UK, finishing at about 7.40am; and an afternoon start and finish across the Asian continent where there are potentially hundreds of millions of extra viewers.
"All this can be achieved without any additional infrastructure costs."
source : www.sportinglife.com
