The FIA has confirmed that the Australian Grand Prix will continue to have a 5pm local time race start, despite several drivers calling for the start time to be brought forward because conditions were too dark in last year’s event.
The FIA had said that it would consider their concerns, and even conceded that its own tests of the conditions proved them to be too dark for night race conditions.
It had seemed, therefore, that the start time for the race would be brought forward by one hour to prevent a repeat of this, but the sport’s governing body has confirmed that the later start time – arranged largely to cater for the European TV audience demands – would remain in place.
The FIA’s press release – which also confirms that the Malaysian Grand Prix would retain its 4pm start time – did not state the reasons for continuing with the same start time for the Albert Park event.
[Original image via The Cahier Archive]
Richard Bailey
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