Skip to main content

MoF will decide if Malaysian F1 race stays after 2015

Workers getting the Sepang International Circuit ready for this weekend's Malaysian F1 Grand Prix. - BERNAMA
Workers getting the Sepang International Circuit ready for this weekend's Malaysian F1 Grand Prix. - BERNAMA


SEPANG: The Finance Ministry will have the final say whether the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix will continue beyond 2015.

It’s unlikely that this year’s Malaysian GP will be the last as the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) have submitted a three-year deal to continue hosting the prestigious race.

But, as SIC chairman Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir said, the final decision on the contract extension lies with the Finance Ministry.

“They’re the stakeholders and what we’re looking for is a win-win situation between the two parties – Formula One Management (FOM) and our side,” he said. 

“There are some finer details we’re going through to make sure we get value for our money in the new contract extension. 

“Formula One has certainly changed a lot compared to when we first hosted it in 1999.

“We’re also looking at the involvement of Petronas with the AMG Mercedes team and it’s important for us to continue making our Formula One race interesting every year and not operate within restrictions.

“A Formula One race has to interact with ticket holders as a sign of the times.”
Mohkzani said that they will make an announcement by this weekend.

The indications are that SIC want the Malaysian GP to continue if the investments in high-definition broadcast systems for race control are of any indication.

“These are the biggest upgrades which the public don’t see. We have changed all the closed-circuit cameras and broadcasting feed to high-definition television,” said Mokhzani.

“The final inspection was made yesterday and we have handed over the circuit to the FOM for this weekend’s event.”

SIC are also optimistic they will get the targeted attendance of at least 70,000 for this weekend.
“Ticket sales are slightly better compared to the corresponding period last year.

“We expect sales to increase by 40% two or three days before the race.”



 by Lim Teik Huat - The Star

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Rajagobal Let Off The Hook

PETALING JAYA, April 24 (Bernama) -- National head coach Datuk K. Rajagobal was let off the hook by the Football Association of Malaysia's (FAM) Disciplinary Committee after finding no evidence that he had violated FAM's Article 88, as claimed. FAM Disciplinary Committee chairman Datuk Taufik Abdul Razak said the committee had decided not to charge Rajagobal after carefully analysing the video of the post-match press conference by the 56-year-old coach. "After listening to the recording of the post-match press conference, we decided to drop the charge against Rajagopal as he did not make such a statement. "Maybe his (Rajagobal) assessment and comments of the match was misconstrued by the media. There was no mention of the FAM policy throughout his comments," said Taufik after emerging from a three-hour Disciplinary Committee meeting at Wisma FAM in Kelana Jaya, here, Wednesday. Rajagobal who does not mince his words when asked to com...

Atlet Tempuhi Empat Kejohanan Besar Sebelum Olimpik Rio 2016

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 Mei (Bernama) -- Empat temasya sukan penting yang dijadual berlangsung mulai Disember ini hingga 2015 menjadi medan persiapan atlet negara sebelum menghadapi cabaran Sukan Olimpik 2016 di Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, kata Menteri Belia dan Sukan, Khairy Jamaluddin Jumaati. Kejohanan berkenaan ialah Sukan SEA di Myanmar pada Disember, Sukan Asia 2014 di Incheon, Korea Selatan, Sukan Komanwel 2014 di Glasgow, Scotland dan Sukan SEA 2015 di Singapura. Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas melawat Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) di Bukit Jalil di sini, Khairy berkata kesemua temasya sukan itu dilihat amat penting dalam memastikan impian negara untuk membawa pulang pingat emas Olimpik pertama menjadi kenyataan. "Kita di Kementerian Belia dan Sukan (KBS) mahupun MSN akan memastikan semua atlet mendapat bantuan sewajarnya dalam melakukan persiapan ke arah membawa pulang pingat emas pertama negara di Rio de Janeiro, Brazil nanti," katanya. Dalam perkemb...

Uber Cub: Malaysian squad Can Spring A Surprise - Ahmad Shabery

KUALA LUMPUR, April 29 (Bernama) -- Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Ahmad Shabery Cheek remains confident that the national Uber Cup squad can spring a surprise when Malaysia hosts the Thomas and Uber Cup finals at the Putra Stadium in Bukit Jalil from May 9-16. He said despite not being the favourite, the women's team was able to surprise everyone by winning the gold medal at the Laos SEA Games. "I am confident they (Uber Cup team) will be able to produce a similar surprise. Not only are they capable of reaching the semi-final, they can go further," he told reporters after having lunch with national shuttlers here Thursday. National badminton Team manager Datuk Syed Abu Bakar Abdullah who echoed the minister's confidence said: "In Laos, nobody expected the women's team to win the world, so why not the Uber Cup? All they need to do is try their very best." Women's team captain Wong Pei Tty said she and her team-mates have set a target of r...