Mar.11 (GMM) Bernie Ecclestone has given a less than receptive response to Australian GP organisers' proposal this week to delay the start of next year's Melbourne race until late afternoon.
The organisers' 5pm offer was delivered after the local Victorian government totally ruled out F1 chief executive Ecclestone's demand that Australia fund a floodlit night race to appease the key European television audience.Speaking to Australian newspapers from London, Ecclestone said on Tuesday: "It needs to be a night race."The 77-year-old Briton added the proposed twilight race "doesn't help a lot"."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."
