Australia will host the first race of the 2007 Formula One World Championship, with the race taking place in Melbourne on 18 March.

In 2006, Australia lost its traditional opening slot due to the fact that Melbourne was hosting the Commonwealth Games. Instead, the season kicked off in Bahrain before heading on to Malaysia.

However, the timing of the Bahrain event - due to the four hour time difference with Europe, Formula One's traditional heartland - meant that the season opener attracted a greater TV audience than usual, since the Australian even takes place in the early hours of the morning in Europe.

The all-round success of the Bahrain event, combined with the fact that Melbourne hosts the Swimming World Championships from March 17, led to speculation that the Australian city might not retain its opening slot in 2007.

However, Victoria Tourism and Major Events Minister John Pandazopoulos has confirmed that Melbourne will return to its traditional opening slot next season.

"Securing pole position as the first race of the year is important for Victoria because it always receives extra global attention and media coverage," he said. "The Bracks Government is extremely committed to winning and staging world-class major events for Victorians and they don't come much bigger than the Formula One weekend. This is a great result for Australia's sporting and events capital."

Speaking of the 'clash' with the Swimming World Championships, Pandazopoulos said: "This is an opportunity to boost our reputation as the best place in the world for staging major events. "Where else in the world could host two international events back-to-back with the knowledge that they will be very well run and very well attended.

"Major events are worth around $1 billion each year to Victoria's economy and these two events will deliver major benefits for business."

"To be reinstated as the Championship's opening race is great news for the people of Australia who continue to embrace this event with the sports-mad passion for which the country is renowned," said Ron Walker, Chairman of the Australian Grand Prix Corporation and a close friend of Bernie Ecclestone.

"There is much status afforded to the host city of the first event on the F1 calendar and this is nothing short of a splendid outcome for Melbourne. The decision is truly a reflection of the remarkable standard of on-track and off-track entertainment at Albert Park each year that has seen Melbourne cement itself as the world's favourite Grand Prix."

In 2007 the World Championship kicks off almost a week later than usual, the 2006 championship getting underway on March 12, while in previous years the season has traditionally begun - at least this century - in the first week of March.