There’s been a lot of talk since prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad expressed his desire to bring Formula 1 back to Malaysia, with mixed responses all around (yes, we’ve read your comments). The latest comes from Sepang International Circuit (SIC) CEO Datuk Razlan Razali, who said that there are many factors to consider before a return to hosting the Grand Prix is possible, according to New Straits Times.
The track hosted every Malaysian GP since its inception in 1999, with a total of 19 editions held right up until its final year in 2017. Razlan said that while the possibility would be looked into if the premier was being serious, a total of five years would need to have passed since the last race before it can be considered, adding that “it’s been only two years since we stopped hosting it.”
Razlan also said that a proposal will need to be studied thoroughly so that it will receive widespread support before it goes through. “If the time comes for us to consider bringing back F1, and the government has a change of heart, then we will look into it.
“There are many factors to consider. When the time comes, I am sure a study will be conducted. This is to make sure the next time F1 is in Malaysia, it will be done with the support of all [relevant] ministries. It has to be done better than before,” he said.
It was also put forward that Mahathir’s comments might have come from being emotionally touched by a video, which showed Sepang’s early days of hosting the race, played at the Petronas SIC Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM) Awards 2018 – in which he won a Lifetime Achievement Award.
“Everything began with F1, and the Sepang Circuit exists because of F1,” said Razlan. “But I think we have gone beyond just F1 now. We have achieved a lot of success. We have many people competing in world championships, except F1.”
The circuit currently hosts a round of the MotoGP motorcycle championship, and it will hold races in both the FIM Endurance World Championship (EWC) for motorcycles and the World Touring Car Cup (WTCR) for the first time at the end of the year. A Super GT return is also on the cards for 2020.
The high cost of hosting a Formula 1 race remains the main prohibiting factor, said the English-language daily, with former tourism and culture minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz saying in 2016 that the government spent around RM300 million a year.
Cost issues also prevented Malaysia from putting a driver in an F1 car since Alex Yoong in 2002. Jazeman Jaafar was the closest to do so, having been offered a race seat for 2016, but he dropped out after failing to raise enough funds to secure it, estimated at around €15 million (RM68.8 million).
Youth and sports minister Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman was more enthusiastic, saying that he would look into the possibility of an F1 return. “When SIC was set up, some people said it would be a white elephant. But today, we stand witness to what SIC has achieved.
“It has created an ecosystem. It has built many networks in and outside of Malaysia. It has also developed young talents, such as Hafizh Syahrin Abdullah and Jazeman Jaafar. When the prime minister stated that he hoped F1 will come back, I think he intends to bring back the glory days. And as the sports minister, I will work with the prime minister to realise that vision,” he said.
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Rempit racing more exciting bah
The problem about study is that we don’t have competent people able to make the necessary study.
If other countries can make big time money with F1, I don’t see why we cannot. Unless there is too much of dedak going around and many middle people need to be paid their dedak like before
So tell us which country made big time money with F1? AFAIK many are hardly breaking even, most are making losses which are covered by their respective government and states sponsors.
The main problem is SIC. The employees and workers there all just think life owes them a living.
We need foreign talent to come in and give the SIC workers a shock of their lives. Teach them how to work hard. Teach them to focus in their work and produce results.
All this just encourages Rempit in Kesas. Educate the majority then you will see Rempit also will stop
NOT with Govt money… which is the rakyat’s money. Never again.
If TunM wants it… ask his sons to fund it or find anyone gulible enough from the private sector who wants to organise it.
Since previous Gov mad budget cuts to education, health and hospital, people welfare. Its best public funds go back to Malaysia people.
Public funds have been diverted to NNCP & going to restart F1 racing in Sepang.
Rather than constantly seeing how different we are. we should instead be celebrating our differences. Learn to be grateful Malaysian. Syukur pada yang memberi rahmat,
Different party.
Same people.
Same game.
Same taxpayer loss.
What is there to celebrate?
celebrate cheaper petrol yo’
Sorry but we have upped petrol prices. hehe.
Hundreds of billions used to cover up 1MDB. We need the money back for schools and hospitals.
Too much of dedak in the past need to be abolished
This is an autoblog site, your 1MDB and dedak has nothing to do with automotive. Please keep things relevant or leave with your paid trolling.
And also stupid pero3, damn butthurt
Govt had been channelling millions of money to organise F1 since day 1 it was brought in by TunM. Previous Govt actually had the right mind to stop organising it.
It is the current govt that brought cuts to health and people’s welfare…. more so because of the depleted income from the cancelling of GST.
F1 organisers all so bodoh. Have it at 2PM. Hotsun gila panas then. Who wants to come?
You have either early morning or evening when it is cooler.
No wonder ticket sales also kaput
Fin Minister already said, Gov money is not rakyat money. Deal with it.
Its V Day. Share some love my man..
Aiyo,like this also dunno meh,peluang untuk gasak wang rakyat ma,cakap like penuh perasaan,bodoh saja sokong old fart…
Xpayah la… we have to pay to them deposit money also renew license then maintenance back the sic… that money better invest on new roads for motorcyclist.. our roads are 3rd class roads.. no modernisation.. please youtube europe roads and see their innovation and development.
Better to modernise our education system. In such a super hot country, all our schools have no aircon.
Afternoon school kids suffer a lot in the heat.
Past corruption never paid attention to our schools
This is an autoblog site, your 1MDB and dedak has nothing to do with automotive. Please keep things relevant or leave with your paid trolling.
Even SIC boss is against F1 from returning without a profitable plan. inb4 he gets replaced with a more “opportunistic” boss (reads: compliant to an old man).
SC boss did a bad job, this is why SIC never makes money and loss making
Not really SIC boss fault when the races r boring as heck and F1 organisers chose wrong timing.
There you go, the rempit CEO has spoken. Time to kick him out so that we can have a more qualified and dignified person in this position.
instead of wasting money on some rich kids sport…better to focus on things that really require more funding…like table tennis or even squash
or put the funding to hospitals and schools. Our hospitals lack funding. Thousands of patients die per year because the hospitals lack the funding.
This is more important than some rich man sports.
Is this the same guy saying f1 is not an economic attraction?
Why not just replace him with anyone else
Copy paste: “But I think we have gone beyond just F1 now. We have achieved a lot of success. We have many people competing in world championships, except F1.”
F1 no longer pulls the crowds and money.
Tun m approve your suggestion, proceed
Flagship sporting venues don’t make a lot of sense when the grass root sporting venues are non existent to begin with ie. demolition of Batu Tiga track. What is the use of grand venues when grass root sports facilities are lacking? Any other racing track besides a delapidated Pasir Gudang track as an example? Ditto the other sports
F1 return is recommended by the newly formed economic council?
No. By a council of my kin. he he he he
F1 will return to Malaysia but not back to SIC.. Fastrack City, the new F1 circuit private own… No need to use people tax money anymore..
I’m a big F1 fan, follows the circus intensely, can recite data about things like the 1966 World Champion (Jack Brabham), you know, what the Brits call an anorak.
And even I know that an F1 return is UNWARRANTED. As much as I’d love to see F1 cars in Sepang again, we need to accept the fact that it’s just too costly and not very profitable to have F1 here. Just focus on Moto GP, which is incredibly popular here to the point that we have our own racers racing in Moto GP from top to Moto3 class.
F1 = pollution
pollute air
pollute sound
pollute mind
pollute welfare
Yeah more studies because we never hosted F1 before.
Bantah F1! This is Malaysia baharu!
Malaysia Baru run by the same Malaysia Lagi Lama people, the same ones that created Sepang F1. Doing the same things by the same people and expecting different results? That’s insanity!
Here is an idea. How about doing F1 in the morning instead? A lot cooler to start at 8am and cheaper also. No need a lot of lights like Singapore.
TV viewers in EU countries are still sleeping lar.