Since 2017, the Malaysian GP is no longer part of F1. According to the local government, high costs make short-term returns impractical.
The friendly Malaysian Grand Prix will not be returning to the category anytime soon. From 1999 until 2017, the Kuala Lumpur race was a confirmed presence in F1. A track with a bold design that is proving to be challenging, above all due to the unstable weather conditions, with a high risk of rain, which always lead to messy races.
Since 2017, Malaysia’s participation in Formula 1 has become very unfeasible. According to Malaysia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Hannah Yeoh, the high operational cost of hosting F1 is the main obstacle:
“F1 is very expensive. We had to set aside 20 million Malaysian ringgit (about 4 million Euros) just to update the song. If we could have organized an F1 race, we would have already done it. But for now we are not able to organize tenders. For now we will use the money for urgent repairs.”
The Sepang track currently has an FIA Grade 1 license which expired in 2020. However, if a new application is submitted and the requirements are met, the license can be revalidated. However, local government and companies cannot afford the high price of the most important category on the planet, although Petronas has been a partner of Mercedes AMG F1 in recent years.
Unfortunately, the losers are the fans. Sepang has produced epic races in the category, such as 2003, with Kimi Raikkonen’s first victory and 2001, in a Michael Schumacher show, as well as chaotic racing such as 2009, with Jenson Button’s victory after just 32 laps.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
