Aussie GP Boss Hits at Prima Donnas F1 Drivers

Following continuous claims from the F1 drivers that the late starting hour of the Australian Grand Prix would cause safety issues at the Phillip Island Circuit – the race eventually went down without any major twilight-related problems – the Aussie GP boss Ron Walker hit back at the racers, calling them “prima donnas.”

“It's clearly not dangerous. You can't please these drivers, they are a bunch of lazy people who won't do anything to help the sport, except for two or three. A lot of drivers are prima donnas. They are never happy,” said Walker, according to the Herald Sun newspaper.

The organizers of the 2010 Australian Grand Prix agreed with the FOM moving the race later in the day, as they argued it would boost both ticket sales and European audience for the Sunday action. Nevertheless, as a consequence of the drivers' complaints, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) ran a light test on race day and found out that it was indeed too dark to race in the late stages of the competition.

Therefore, as confirmed by the FIA shortly after the race two weekends ago, the hourly schedule for the 2011 edition of the race will be brought forwards by at least one hour (we're sure that news was not welcomed by Bernie Ecclestone either).

The Chairman of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation recently underwent a brain surgery after sustaining head injuries in a bicycle accident during the month of February. Nevertheless, he did manage to make it to this year's race at Albert Park in late March.