Melbourne, Jun 16 (IANS): Formula One announced on Thursday that the Australian Grand Prix will stay in Melbourne until 2035, following a deal to extend the race beyond 2025 by a further 10 years.

Stefano Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula One, said, "I am delighted to confirm that Melbourne and the Albert Park circuit will continue to be on the Formula 1 calendar until 2035. The race has always been a favourite for the fans, drivers and the teams and Melbourne is an incredible and vibrant international city that is a perfect match for our sport.

"This year we saw huge crowds and passionate fans at the Grand Prix, and we are very excited by the future in Australia as our sport continues to grow. I want to thank the Victorian Government, Daniel Andrews, Premier of Victoria and Martin Pakula, Minister for Tourism, Sport & Major Events for their tireless support for the event in Melbourne, as well as Andrew Westacott and Paul Little from the AGPC for making this already long-term partnership secure for the future. We are all looking forward to being back in Melbourne next season with all our fans," he added.

More than 419,000 fans visited Albert Park for the 2022 Australian Grand Prix in April, making it the largest ever crowd for a weekend sporting event in Australia.

Albert Park has hosted the Australian Grand Prix since 1996, with significant investment made over the past two years in order to improve the circuit, fan experience and facilities - while further improvements, including to the paddock and pit lane, are planned in order to continue the circuit's modernisation.

The date of next year's Australian Grand Prix will be provided in due course, and once the 2023 calendar is finalised, it will be subject to World Motor Sport Council approval, Formula One said.