David Coulthard has criticised those who are constantly questioning the value of hosting a grand prix in Australia, saying they are "selfish" and "narrow-minded".
Not a F1 season goes by without residents and politicians raising doubt over whether or not it is worth it to spend so much money to host the race at Albert Park in Melbourne with recent reports claiming it costs Victorians up to A$30 million in licence fees annually.
However, BBC F1 pundit and former Formula One driver Coulthard feels the critics are not looking at the bigger picture.
"There is absolutely no question Melbourne is a great city for us to come to. Full stop. It's a great race track within the Albert Park facility," he said, speaking on the Australian GP podcast.
"For the one week of inconvenience, or whatever it is people don't get the access, then they shouldn't be so selfish, quite frankly.
"They should think of the greater good, what it does for the local economy, what it does to inspire young schoolchildren to want to be engineers, designers, whether it's in engine design, tyres, whether they want to be drivers.
"You don't inspire people by not giving them a taste of what is out there in the world.
"If people want to be small-minded and not look beyond their personal needs then that's disappointing.
"There are lots of things I don't particularly appreciate in life, but I don't go campaigning against it because I understand a lot of people do like it.
"The people who put out the negativity, I wonder how they'd feel if I came and stood outside whatever sporting event they follow and put forward my right to say, 'Well I don't like you doing that, it annoys me'.
"You have to be tolerant in this world and for the one week of the grand prix, those who don't particularly appreciate it [the race] should be tolerant of those who do."
