Formula 1's new owners are "set to clear the way" for the Australian Grand Prix to "avoid clashing" with the start of the Australian Football League season next year after agreeing to the Supercars' support races gaining championship status, according to Mark Fogarty of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Liberty Media "reacted favourably" to restoring the season-opening race at Melbourne's Albert Park to its "traditional" mid-March dates. Race organizers targeted March 15-18 -- a week earlier than this year -- for the '18 grand prix to "avoid a conflict with the opening round of the AFL premiership." This year's race was held a week later to "accommodate a compression of the F1 calendar from late March to early November." While the move to March 23-26 did not "hurt crowds," which were claimed to be more than 12% up on '16, the grand prix "suffered from competing for media exposure with the first weekend of AFL competition and the AFL women's grand final." Whatever the outcome of next year's calendar, which F1 "hopes to expand from 19 to as many as 22 races with the inclusion of new or restored events," Melbourne will retain its "traditional status" as the opening race of the season (SMH, 5/30).
