Grand Prix to stay until 2015

MELBOURNE will host formula one racing until 2015 after the Brumby Government stared down race organisers over their demand for a night Grand Prix. Following months of uncertainty about the future of the Albert Park race, the five-year Grand Prix deal will introduced a twilight event in a bid to expand the European television audience for the race. Despite formula one boss Bernie Ecclestone insisting earlier this year that "the only way" for the event to continue in Melbourne was to stage a night race, the new deal excludes the use of artificial lights for the race. Premier John Brumby said persistence and holding firm on his Government's opposition had won over Mr Ecclestone. "There were a lot of people who said if we held firm we would lose the event. We held firm on that and we retained the event," Mr Brumby said.... [read full story]