Melbourne will continue to host the Australian GP until at least 2020 after organisers secured a new long-term contract with Bernie Ecclestone.
Speculation that the popular event, which has opened the Formula 1 season on all but two occasions since replacing Adelaide as Australia’s grand prix host city in 1996, could drop off the calendar for financial reasons has floated around for a number of years, while race promoter Ron Walker was an outspoken critic of the sport’s new quieter engines following this year’s race.
Melbourne’s contract had been due to expire after 2015, however, in an announcement on Sunday the government of the state of Victoria revealed that following 12 months of negotiations a new five-year deal was signed with Ecclestone in London last week.