According to a report by the Adelaide Advertiser, the city council last night determined that it would like South Australian Tourism Minister Leon Bignell to look into the viability of a bid to re-claim a round of the Formula 1 World Championship.

The South Australian capital was Australia’s first World Championship host, the Australian Grand Prix running on the streets of Adelaide between 1985 and 1995 before the race was shifted to Melbourne for the 1996 race.

A shortened version of the Adelaide street circuit is now used for the Supercars season-opener.

“There’s a certain nostalgia that the Grand Prix brings and I think everyone in the room is old enough to remember the halcyon days so I’m glad that the council will write to the State Government and at least indicate that we’d like this explored,” councillor Alex Antic was reported as saying by the Advertiser.

“We’d just like to see the State Government take the steps to see if it is viable and whether a pitch could be made.”

Bignell has already moved to pour water on the idea of the GP returning to Adelaide, having been quoted by the Advertiser last week as saying: “These are the most infuriating people in South Australia, this city council.

"If they want the Grand Prix, how about they put in some money so we can get the grandstands up a bit quicker, which will make their ratepayers happy.

“Let’s have a look at Bathurst — their council put in $6 million in the Bathurst race. These clowns put in $50,000 and charge us $100,000.

“They are big on complaining but not putting their hands in their pockets to help their ratepayers. We’re not interested in [the Grand Prix].”

The current contract with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to run the race in Melbourne is valid until 2023.