The Serve

F1 Boss: Twilight starts will not save race

Melbourne Grand Prix boss Ron Walker’s hopes of a ‘compromise’ with the head of F1 over the timing of the Albert Park have been dashed.

This year’s Melbourne GP will start at 3:30pm (AEST), ninety minutes later than previously advertised. The 2009 edition will commence at 5pm (AEST), 7am Central European time. Formula One head Bernie Ecclestone has told The Sydney Morning Herald the twilight starts aren’t enough to satisfy the European television market.

“That’s not really what we’re looking for. It would be nice if the race was on at midday or 2pm for European audiences, but I guess that would mean it starting in the middle of the night in Australia.

“It doesn’t help a lot.”

Melbourne’s current deal with Formula One ends in 2010, with Ecclestone making it abundantly clear nations such as India and Russia are waiting to pounce if Australia does not cede to his demands of installing floodlights.

“Obviously, the later it is in Europe the better as far as I am concerned. I suppose it is easier getting up at 6am than 3am, so perhaps that’s something, but not what we are really looking for,” Ecclestone told The Sydney Morning Herald.

“It needs to be a night race.”