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1MF1T perlu RM450 juta semusim

KUALA LUMPUR - Bos pasukan Formula Satu (F1) negara, F1 1Malaysia (1MF1T), Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes berkata, kira-kira RM450 juta perlu dibelanjakan untuk membolehkan Malaysia bersaing di litar F1 selain untuk melengkapkan jadual 19 perlumbaan.

"Kami perlukan RM100 juta hingga RM150 juta untuk membolehkan jentera berada di litar dan kami perlukan (tambahan) RM300 juta bagi melengkapkan keseluruhan persaingan," katanya.

Fernandes, 46, pengasas dan Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif penerbangan bajet Asia Tenggara, AirAsia, menjadi pendorong utama bagi membolehkan kepulangan Lotus ke sukan itu, yang mengumumkan hasrat mereka untuk berlumba semula minggu lalu.

1MF1T disokong oleh 1Malaysia F1 Team Sdn. Bhd., sebuah perkongsian swasta-awam melibatkan barisan usahawan terkenal tempatan di samping pembuat kereta kebangsaan, Proton.

Fernandes menambah, pasukan Malaysia akan menawarkan pekerjaan kepada 225 orang termasuk pakar aerodinamik dan jurutera bagi kemahiran mekanikal dan elektronik.

Ketika ditanya sama ada dia yakin dalam mencari penaja bagi pasukan, katanya: "Adakah kami gagal setakat ini?" merujuk kepada kejayaan AirAsia sejak pelancarannya pada 2001 untuk menjadi syarikat penerbangan ke-12 terbesar dunia.

Lotus kembali ke F1 selepas bersaing dalam kejuaraan itu dari 1958 hingga 1994.

Pembuat kereta kebangsaan Malaysia, Proton memiliki saham terbesar dalam syarikat itu pada pertengahan 1990-an.

Buat masa ini, pasukan 1MF1T akan berpangkalan di Norfolk, England, dekat kilang Lotus Cars, satu prasarana yang dibina oleh Toyota untuk penyediaan dan pembangunan awal F1 mereka.

Namun kereta pasukan akan dibina, dikeluarkan dan diuji di Litar F1 Sepang yang menjadi tuan rumah perlumbaan GP Malaysia sejak 1999. - AFP

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