Night or 'Good Night' for Oz?

I find Bernie's comments disappointing as F1 is meant to be an international event. Bernie fails to take into consideration the fact that a lot of the fans and supporters of F1 are in countries outside Europe. Here in Australia, we see most of the F1 races during the middle of the night. The Canadian and US grand prixs are not on in Australia until about 3am, while the majority of the rest are not televised till around midnight plus or minus a bit.

Bernie just wants to cover himself for when he moves this race to another location such as Korea, India, or in the Middle East. This way he can say it's the Australian's fault, not his. He has been planning this all along.

abslutely agree MRG, even though im in the UK.

i love the novelty of waking up at 2 AM to watch the Australian GP at the start of the season. and the race is repeated anyway for those who want to sleep.

As Jonov says, i reckon bernie needs to find a gap or two for future grand prix in Korea, Abu Dhabi, India etc.

would be a big shame to see Aus go.

Bernie is looking at money pure and simple like always has done and always will do. I always enjoyed getting up / or staying up to watch the OZ race as i'm sure many others did. What does Bernie care about the time anyways, he's at the bloody venue, he doesnt need to be up at 2-3 in the morning like the European / N/S.American fans. Maybe he should ask us our thoughts before shouting out the threats.

im in the UK aswell. and i agree with bouncebackability as waking up early is great. the atmosphere is great i could not care less about the time a race starts but it must be hard for people out of europe

Who the hell does Bernie think he is, GOD?

How are we (Aussies) supposed to feel when he says that we and our fellow Southern Hemisphere neighbours should stage world class events at night to accommodate the viewing preferences of our Northern Hempisphere counterparts. He obviously feels that we count for zero, despite the fact that the Australian GP has been one of the best run and staed F1 Grands prix for many years. It's no secret that whenever a 'new' venue appears on the GP calendar they end up being voted the best staged GP of that year.

Therefore no surprises when the Singapore GP is voted the best GP of 2008, F1 is so transparent, commercially corrupt and immoral!

I agree with you Barry, we're made to feel like second class citizens, what does Mark Webber think, as a proud Aussie I'm sure he's rather disappointed at Bernie's stance, the staging of the Qatar Moto GP event at night is somewhat of a 'no brainer' as no one actually attends that event so they're trying anything and everything, as well as keeping up with their fellow CVC stablemates F1.

However forcing Singapore, Malaysia and eventually Australia to run night races in order to safeguard their position on the F1 calendar is insulting and disgraceful, the sooner the 78 year old dinasour croaks the better!

I used to respect Ecclestone, but that was many moons ago.

He's done a great deal for F1 and provided careers and livelihoods for many of us, however his motives and reasons for night races are purely commercial, how would we all feel in Europe if we had to stage our events at night to accommodate the Southern Hemisphere? Pretty pissed off I think and so should all you guys in Australia feel.

I have several friends in Singapore who initially thought it great that they've secured the GP, however one by one they've come around to thinking that they're just being used as pawsns in a global chess game that is TV ratings and the higher fee's that are associated with audience figures. SHAME

Allegedly, Bernie Ecclestone is a vile and repulsive individual, yes he may have turned Formula One around but he's not done it for the benefit of the sport, he's done it to line his own pockets and in doing so he's made many individuals within the paddock wealthy beyond their dreams despite their best efforts.

BCE does nothing for motorsport, he does nothing for anyone else unless of course there's acommercial benefit to him, he is shrewd and intelligent despite a lack of formal education, however he could be so much more to so many people.

How will we all remember him when he passes away?

Not with the same fondness and respect that we have for Jackie Stewart and Stirling Moss!

This is a World Championship, not a European only event. I have to compromise my sleep on Sunday Night/Monday Morning to watch 90% of the grands prix which I am happy to do. Is that unfair Bernie? The european viewers have it pretty good, so spare a thought for the fans in Asia and Australia who have sacrificed their sleep for years.

Bernie is just trying to have leverage, to get more money for his empire, unfortunately he is not in it for the sake of F1, but for his F1 Enterprises. If I had anything to do with it I would tell him to stick it up his Chuff, and get to work with somebody who thinks of "Formula One" with real passion.

I am a motorsport fan and I will do anything to watch good quality motorsport, When I lived in Oz we would go stay in a Motel with Sky for the night, and be up early in the morning to watch Indy 500 and Daytona 500 live, and then go to work mid morning. But Berie doesn't want the enthusiast, he wants the Moggie who sits in his armchair and scans the channels to watch his sport.

to all the Australian fans buy a digital set top
channel 10 showing all races live on channel 1HD

As an aussie, i must say that im extremely dissapointed. Ive followed F1 since the first Adelaide GP. Like most other aussies, i too sit up late on sunday nights to watch the European races of which most, if not all, are delayed broadcasted anyway, I will also sit up to watch the North American races as well. As for Kevin Rudd saying he wont support it is just proving how much of a ****** ****** he is. Him and John Brumby (Victoria's Premier) should be throwing their weight behind the event as a reason to get overseas people to come to Victoria and Australia and get the tourism sector booming but no....the event might lose money but think of the money spent outside the event.

The Aussi GP already is a nightrace for me. Great to get up at 4.00 in the morning, watch the GP and then take the motorcycle for a blast on the empty early sundaymorning roads. Come back and go back to bed. It's tradition! Bernie can put his night racing where the sun don't shine.

**** off Bernie - F1 fans are sick of your scaremongering, money-grabbing tactics, you are now being destructive to the sport, only looking to deepen your pockets, not looking to provide the thrilling spectactle F1 should be.

How many more dull, featureless Tilke tracks in front of empty stands in farflung 'developing' locations are you going to throw at us? There are plenty of F1 fans on that side of the world, and plenty on this side willing to watch the repeat if it means a good race on a good track in an established location. If you are apparently so desperate to cater for European TV audiences, WHY ARE YOU TAKING AWAY ALL OFF OUR RACES?!?!?!

Please go away.

The bloke's the same as all the politicians - can't be trusted, spins everything and is only interested in the gravy train, not the interests of the sport or it's fans.
Put Ron Dennis in charge of it all.

The sooner the small man and his side kick Mosley leaves F1 the better.They must have all their vast shares tide up in the far east.No British or Aus GPs! just round the corner.Watch this space.
Greg.Marley

This guy is such a Jack-off, if I were an Aussie I would be pissed right now. We had the same thing happen to us state side and now you are having it happen to you and the UK has the same issues facing them. The old established races that put BE and MM on the map with F1 are not paying enough to them. Even though they would have been nothing with out these races in the first place, now they have countries willing to pay ridiculous amounts to them just to have the name F1 in their country. I am planning to come to Australia next yeat to watch your race since it sounds like it will be my last opportunity to do so. Reputations are so important and Melbourne has a great one.

All the more reason for everyone to stop watching F1 and start watching A1GP, a true World Championship !!

Bernie just makes me nauseous - his reasoning for removing this wonderful race (Melbourne) from the calender is specious at best - I'm from Canada - Melbourne is absolutely one of my favorite races on the schedule; I can't imagine F1 without great races such: as Silverstone - Spa and Melbourne - Bernie and Max are deliberately ruining the formula for their own incessant greed - I honestly feel like I wont be watching F1 in the coming years; if these two fascist dictators (Mad Moron Max and Bernie Ick (sic)) are not removed from power - honestly, I hope for a rival series -
Their Formula is a scandalous FARCE! Formula Farce!