The Australian GP has just finished for another year with a sensational win for the F1’s newest team Brawn GP. Brawn GP has come out of the old Honda team who withdrew due to economic difficulties early this year. The management of the team bought out the license and on qualifying day picked up major sponsor Virgin before going on to have record a one-two finish in its first race. The twilight race at Melbourne was a limited success with crowds down and some drivers having problems with the glare coming in and out of corners. The Melbourne GP is due to hold one more race next year before its contract expires and at the moment is fighting hard to hold on to the event for an additional term. It won’t be easy though with competition from other Australian states as well as international pressure with Russia and India looking to host a race from 2011. With a complex negotiation going on between the Melbourne GP Corporation and the F1 governing body it could well mean that next year is the last GP in Melbourne if not Australia. Whilst other states may argue they are better suited to host or at least deserving of the right the real shame will be if Australia loses the right to host a GP anywhere in 2011. Unfortunately this may become a reality in the next few months meaning the 2010 GP could be Australia’s F1 swansong. |