The head of a visiting grand prix delegation from Singapore on Saturday denied that the Asian island-state is trying to steal the Australian grand prix from Melbourne.
“We’re not trying to come here or anywhere else with a hatchet to knock out somebody else’s race,” Michael Roche said at Albert Park.
“We’ve come to learn because of the brilliant job that Melbourne’s done.
“We’d rather be complementary than be an adversary.”
It is rumoured, however, that a possible Singapore threat has led Australian promoter Ron Walker to seriously consider F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone’s request for a night-race — the first of which could be seen in 2008.
Ecclestone, also in Melbourne to investigate the logistical possibility of lighting up Albert Park, said: “We lose a large proportion of our TV audience in Europe because of the time (difference).
“They (Australian promoters) should think about it.”
