Melbourne yet to decide on GP future

Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone warned recently that the Melbourne race would be under threat unless the event becomes a night race to fit in better with European television time zones.

"When the contract comes up, we have to have a look and see exactly what we will be doing with Melbourne," Ecclestone told the Herald Sun. "Unless they can come up with something satisfactory, I'm pretty sure we wouldn't be able to continue there.

"I would like to make sure we can watch (the race) in Europe and other parts of the world at a respectable time rather than having to get up at three or four in the morning."

But Deputy Premier John Thwaites says the government is yet to decide if it wants to keep the race beyond its current contract.

"We've got the Grand Prix until 2010. It is a very important part of the major events calendar. We continue to support that," Thwaites was quoted as saying by The Australian.

"But in terms of beyond that, obviously we have to see what the situation is," added Thwaites, who warned Ecclestone that the government is not prepared to accept being pushed to hold the race under lights.

"There's a lot of negotiating strategy in what Mr Ecclestone's doing," he added. "He's trying to push the Government in a particular way and the Government's not prepared to just simply respond on the basis of being pushed."

Victoria State's tourism minister Tim Holding said earlier this week, however, that the government had not ruled out the night race idea yet.

Melbourne has become a established venue for the first Grand Prix of each season, but the race has reportedly suffered significant financial losses.