FEBRUARY 20, 2009

Melbourne offering more value for money for fans

The fans at the Australian Grand Prix at the end of March will get not only a Formula 1 Grand Prix but also the popular local V8 Supercars and a free concert by British rock legends The Who, featuring Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, the two surviving members of the original band.

The Grand Prix will begin at 5pm local time and will finish at about 6.30pm. This will mean that the race is staged at a better time for the world's TV audiences. The practice times are also being adjusted accordingly with practice on the Friday finishing at 6.30pm and Saturday qualifying taking place between 5pm and 6pm. There will be no F1 cars running in the morning on any of the days of the event.

The recession has had some effect on the Albert Park event with the expected cancellation of the Celebrity Race and the Carrera Cup event, but the programme is being bolstered by rounds of the local Mini Challenge and the popular Aussie Racing Cars series, which draws huge fields.

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