Summary
- Melbourne will continue to host the Australian Grand Prix for the next decade
- Formula 1 and the Australian Grand Prix both welcomed the deal extension
- The official schedule of Formula 1’s 2023 season is due out later this year
Australian Formula 1 fans are very happy because the Australian Grand Prix will continue to run in Melbourne, Victoria.
An announcement was made after the Victorian government decided to extend the F1 contract for another 10 years till 2035. This means that the Australian leg of the premier motor racing competition will continue to take place at Albert Park in Melbourne.
Along with the 10-year deal extension, it has also been announced that for the first time ever, Formula 2 and Formula 3 will be part of the Melbourne undercard starting next year.
Melbourne is home to plenty of passionate racing fans, with the latest event attracting record-breaking numbers. Around 419,000 people filled Albert Park Circuit during April’s Australian Grand Prix, the largest attendance in Melbourne’s grand prix history.
The event also drew the biggest audience at any Formula 1 weekend in nearly 30 years, only trailing behind the historic swan song race in Adelaide in 1995 which was attended by 520,000 people.
F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali said Melbourne is a perfect match for the sport with its incredible and vibrant atmosphere. Domenicali said they are excited for what the future holds in Australia as the motor racing sport continues to enjoy increasing popularity.
Andrew Westacott, CEO of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, likewise welcomed the contract extension, saying that it builds on the city’s rich motorsport history. Westacott also expressed the company’s commitment to growing the sport not only in Australia but also across the Asia-Pacific region.
Since the inaugural season in 1950, Formula 1 has grown to become the biggest and most popular motor racing series in the world. Throughout 2021, the international racing competition attracted almost 500 million unique viewers, with a global cumulative television audience of around 1.55 billion.
In addition to the Melbourne deal extension, Formula 1 also signed an agreement with race organizers in Australia for the upgrading of paddock and pit lane facilities. By the year the deal ends, Melbourne will have hosted 39 Australian Grand Prix competitions. The race was previously held in Adelaide.
The Formula 1 2023 schedule has yet to be announced but it’s understood the Australian leg won’t retain its usual slot at the start of the season. The opening slot would likely go to Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. The final schedule is expected to be released later this year, with the Australian Grand Prix likely to take place by early April.
About The Author
