NSW Premier wants Australian F1 Grand Prix moved to Sydney

Dominic Perrottet sledged Melbourne as he officially called for one of the biggest sporting events in Australia to be moved to Sydney.

The NSW Premier wants the Australian F1 Grand Prix in Sydney.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet has backed calls for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix to be moved to Sydney, taking a cheeky swipe at Melbourne in the process.

Reports emerged in October the NSW government was considering a bold bid to poach the F1 race from Melbourne amid a hefty cash splash on attracting major events.

Stream Every Practice, Qualifier & Race of the 2021 FIA Formula One World Championship™ Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial >

The pitch would largely focus on a Monaco-style street race along the Sydney Harbour to capitalise on the city’s celebrated beauty, although racing over the Harbour Bridge has been ruled out due to safety concerns.

Melbourne’s Grand Prix has become a key fixture on the racing calendar since it was first held there in 1996, but organisers were forced to cancel both the 2020 and 2021 instalments due to Covid-19.

And now Perrottet has confirmed Sydney is eager to swoop in and claim the popular event when the contract with Melbourne's Albert Park circuit expires in 2025.

“We’ve got the greatest cities in not just the country, but the world,” Perrottet said, referring to NSW.

“And seriously, why would the Formula One want to stay in Melbourne when you can come here?

“So we think we’re going to have a fighting chance to bring that event here, but it’s not just the Formula One, it’s major events right across the country and across the world that we’re going after.”

Aussie Mark Webber drove on the Sydney Harbour Bridge as part of a promotion in 2005.

The Australian Grand Prix has never been held in Sydney. Photo: Phil Hillyard

The Premier’s comments come after the state government unveiled its $200m event fund in June, which it said at the time would put “NSW in pole position to secure major events”.

Perrottet echoed the sentiments of Venues NSW chairman Tony Shepherd, who wants Sydney to steal the F1 Grand Prix from Melbourne and see race cars flying along the Cahill Expressway.

“The people of NSW love motor racing as much as anybody and we have a world class city to stage it,” Shepherd told the Daily Telegraph.

“We would need to choose the route carefully to avoid disrupting people but it would be a great way to sell our city to the world.”

Shepherd also wants Sydney to hold one major event per month in a bid to showcase the city to the world and attract international visitors.

“Our goal at Venues NSW is to have a major event in the state every month,” he said.

“The idea is to fill up the year so that every month people have something to look forward to.

“It would be a great ambition to hold a major event every month that would appeal to local and international visitors.

Sydney faces a tough ask to poach the F1 from Melbourne. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images)

“With the venues we have now, particularly with an opening and closing roof on Stadium Australia, we could have acts such as Adele coming over to perform in the winter months when we are quiet.”

The Grand Prix costs Melbourne $30 million to stage each year. Sydney and NSW faces an uphill battle to pinch the F1 from Melbourne after Australian F1 Grand Prix chief Andrew Westacott vowed to fight off any bid from NSW for the race.

“We have got a commitment to stage the race with F1 and the Victorian government on April 10 next year,” he said in October.

“We expect that this is going to occur. We are very close with F1 and have a relationship that goes back decades. We have a relationship that will see us host the event here until 2025, and we want to look to the future as well.

“We are happening next year and it will continue to happen. Our remit is to look beyond 2025.”