Australia's premier city of Sydney has taken a potshot at its age-old southern rival of Melbourne in Victoria by announcing it wants to steal its annual Formula 1 race.

Melbourne has held the Australian leg of the international motor racing series for the past 20 years after it used to be held in South Australia's capital of Adelaide.

On Friday the New South Wales government announced it wants to stage the event, which captures massive international media attention.

Melbourne has the Australian Formula 1 rights until 2020 but there is an election due in New South Wales (NSW) on March 26.

The conservative NSW government announced its intentions in Sydney's highly parochial Daily Telegraph newspaper, ensuring major publicity.

The Victorian government dismissed the NSW announcement, saying Melbourne known as Australia's sporting capital would keep the race. Endi

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