Melbourne set to keep F1 Grand Prix

Sydney - The season-opening Australian Grand Prix has an assured future until 2015, news reports said Sunday. "We haven't signed the deal but we are going to quite soon," an unnamed official told the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

Formula 1 head Bernie Ecclestone had warned that Melbourne could lose the event to Russia, India or Korea unless it was run at night so European audiences could see it live.

Ecclestone had phoned Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and threatened Australia with expulsion from the championships unless his demand was met.

But organizers said they had reached agreement for Melbourne to retain its spot until 2015. The new deal would see a later start, but it would not be run under lights.