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

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ex-coach's jail sentence cut to a year

PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal yesterday sentenced former athletics coach C. Ramanathan to 12 months' jail for molesting two junior athletes 19 years ago. A three-man bench led by Datuk Mohd Hishamudin Mohd Yunus unanimously dismissed Ramanathan's appeal against conviction, but varied the jail sentence of four years to a year, which was to run concurrently. Following yesterday's ruling, Ramanathan, 75, a former teacher, walked out a free man as he had served 10 months in Kajang Prison. Convicts get one-third remission for good behaviour while in prison. However, he will lose his pension. Hishamudin, who sat with Datuk Abdul Wahab Patail and Datuk Linton Albert, said the court found no merit to overturn the conviction. "However, in reducing the sentence, we considered Ramanathan's age and the long years the appeal has taken." Deputy public prosecutor Awang Armadajaya Awang Mahmud submitted that then High Court judge Tan Sri Abdull Hamid E...
2 comments
Read more

Govt Always Gives Emphasis To Sporting Culture, Says PM

KUALA TERENGGANU, May 29 (Bernama) -- Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badaw i said the government always gives emphasis on cultivating a strong sporting culture in achieving excellence at the international level. As such, the Prime Minister said, it was important to scout for young talents in sports. "I observe that the Malaysia Games (Sukma) has become one of the important platforms to do so. "In this arena, the potentials and skills of the youngsters can be identified for development so that they can achieve greater success in sports," he said in his message in the souvenir book of the 12th Sukma from May 31 until June 9. Abdullah said he was aware that competition in sports was very keen and challenging but this did not mean that Malaysian athletes were incapable of competing at the international level. "The fact is that we have all the characteristics required to be excellent. We must inculcate a strong fighting spirit so that we don't easily surrender,...
1 comment
Read more

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...
4 comments
Read more