A week before the Australian Grand Prix, Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has put renewed pressure on Melbourne to switch to a night race or lose the event.

Ecclestone threatened Australia with expulsion from the championships after a clash with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over transforming the traditional season-opening race into a flood-lit event to satisfy demands for European media coverage, a British newspaper reported.

"The only way the race could stay in Melbourne, or anywhere else in Australia, is if it is staged during the night so that the public in Europe can watch it," Ecclestone told The Mail On Sunday.

"At the moment, it is ridiculous that people are asked not to sleep in order to see it live. That can't carry on.

"The alternative is to pull the race completely from Australia. I've spoken to Kevin Rudd and he's told me it would cost too much to re-stage the race, so I guess that's it. We won't be going to Australia for too much longer." The Australian Grand Prix moved from Adelaide to Melbourne in 1995 and is believed to have three years left on its contract.

The inaugural Singapore event this September will become F1's first night-time race.

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