Australia may lose grand prix - report

Australia is in danger of losing its grand prix unless it moves the event to the evening, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone said yesterday.

Ecclestone told the Sunday Herald Sun that he wanted the race switched from the afternoon so it would fit in better with European television time zones.

"I would like to make sure we can watch the race in Europe and other parts of the world at a respectable time rather than having to get up at three or four in the morning," Ecclestone said.

Australia has hosted a round of the Formula One championship every year since 1985. The event was initially staged in Adelaide but moved to Melbourne in 1996 and has been there ever since.