Melbourne GP happy with 2nd, not threatened by Sydney

Organisers of the Australian Formula One Grand Prix say the boost to the television audience because of the event's early evening start has made up for them being placed second in the calendar to Bahrain.
The race's backers have also hit back at a potential bid by Sydney to take the Australian Formula One hosting rights by staging a night race.
Having long been the first event in the F1 season, Autosport.com reports that the race's promoter Ron Walker said: "(second place in the calendar) suits us fine because of the daylight saving change in Europe. Now we have got this timeframe, we go into these big markets in a reasonable time and you can only do that because of daylight saving change."
The race now starts at 7am in Britain and 8am in much of the rest of Europe. The start time is also better for the race in China and Russia.
Victorian Premier John Brumby, dismissed suggestions that a plan by Sydney to snatch the Australian race from Melbourne were a threat to his region's race.
âThey won't be successful,�? Premier Brumby explained, adding âit highlights the value of this event. For the people who say that this is not a great event for the state, or that it costs too much money or any of the other criticisms that are sometimes made, the test is in the global demand of F1.
"Sydney has come out today and said that it will do anything to pinch the event, and there are so many other countries around the world that would also kill to do so. They really want this event â and they would write a big cheque to get it.
"Those critics (of this event) need to look around and see how many other people around the world want this event. Sydney wants this event but won't get it. We are signed until 2014/2015, it is a great event here, the drivers love it, the crews love it, the people who come to our city love it and people like John Travolta love it because Melbourne is one of the great cities in the world. We have got the event secured."