Has Bernie gone Bananas? 50 year contract offer Melbourne GP

[Pandamasque]

I suppose the negotiation went this way
BCE: I give you a 50-year contract, in return I'm going to own the Australian continent for evermore. Seems like a fair deal, right?
Melbourne: No.
BCE: Adelaide it is then.

[wesley123]

Adelaide doesnt sound too bad actually.

[Hail22]

Adelaide doesnt sound too bad actually.

Its not a bad layout, however it needs a little bit of work to make it more viable for Formula 1 (resurfacing, some small changes to the circuit layout with the first hairpin as that would definitely bust the suspension of today's Formula 1 car).

[AMNJG24F]

I feel like that quote was taken out of context, especially when you take it in context from the full quote on ESPNF1.

"We hope we're going to be in Melbourne forever," Ecclestone told the official Australian Grand Prix podcast. "We're happy with Melbourne and I'd be happy to sign a 50-year contract. We don't have a problem with Melbourne.

Big difference between "we're going to sign a 50-year contract" and "we would be happy to sign a 50-year contract" I think Bernie was just over exaggerating, and was just saying that he likes being in Melbourne.

[Clew]

What is asinine about saying something like "I'd make a 50 year deal if I could"?

Because I don't think 50 year deals are possible in the world of F1

[Richard]

I think Bernie was just over exaggerating, and was just saying that he likes being in Melbourne.

Yup, he was simply illustrating the point.

[beelsebob]

I think Bernie was just over exaggerating, and was just saying that he likes being in Melbourne.

Yup, he was simply illustrating the point.

He was simply sending a message to people there saying "no really, sort your act out, there's a contract waiting for you". We don't know what part of their act he doesn't currently like, but that's what he was doing.