Melbourne’s F1 Grand Prix "almost came to a screeching end last year," when F1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone "tried to force a deal that would have removed sweetheart conditions written into the Albert Park contract," according to Peter Rolfe of the HERALD SUN.
Ecclestone "tried to get Melbourne to sign up to a 'global contract' with standardised conditions in line with other F1 races throughout the world"-- considered a "deal-breaker" by Australian Grand Prix Chair Ron Walker, who took several months to broker a different deal.
The initial offer to extend Melbourne’s contract "could have seen unique 'Melbourne' branding removed from the circuit, and profits from corporate and VIP areas paid to Formula One management in London instead of Victoria." Walker said that "a revised contract approved by the Grand Prix Corporation board, and now being considered by the State Government, was a 'very fair and reasonable offer for the taxpayer'" (HERALD SUN, 3/25). In London, Christian Sylt reported Walker "has warned that races will leave Formula One as a result of the quieter V6 engines." Walker said, "The sound is a disgrace. When the car comes down the straight you can’t even hear it. Now you have got every promoter worried that it’s going to turn fans away. You will find promoters dropping out." Walker is also chairman of the Formula One Promoters’ Association. He has written to Ecclestone "informing him that the promoters will meet at the Bahrain Grand Prix in two weeks to voice their concerns." Walker: "There will be a meeting of all of the promoters and you will find that an enormous voice will come out of that... to say 'Bernie, enough is enough. This is not what we bought'" (INDEPENDENT, 3/25).
