Autoblog

Before setting the fastest lap during today's practice session in Melbourne, two-time Formula One champ Fernando Alonso made it clear that running the Australian Grand Prix at night was a bad idea. Joined by Ferrari's Felipe Massa, both drivers questioned whether enough track lighting would provide the necessary visibility to run a safe race.

The idea was floated by F1's chief Bernie Ecclestone and is currently under consideration by the Victorian Government. The thinking behind the idea is to make the race more entertaining for viewers, while at the same time allowing fans abroad to catch the event during peak viewing hours.

Several issues were brought to the fore during the discussion, and while safety was the biggest concern, the cost, both economically and environmentally, of lighting Albert Park might prove to be too prohibitive.

Considering that the open-wheeled racers regularly crest the 200 MPH mark, the idea of running a night race to attract more viewers may be a bit half-baked. Plus, we doubt that the team's aerodynamic engineers would be fond of strapping a set of driving lights onto the front wing.

[Source: Drive.com.au]