From Sportstar · Reuters · · 1m 10s
Malaysia Plans F1 Return
Malaysia may host Formula One races again, but costs and benefits need assessment.
In brief
Malaysia may host Formula One races again, but costs and benefits need assessment. Malaysia's government is considering bringing Formula One back to Sepang circuit annually or periodically after 17 years of hosting, with an economic assessment due by November. Originally reported by Sportstar.
Malaysia's F1 History
Malaysia hosted Formula One races from 1999 to 2017 before ending annually due to rising costs and declining ticket sales.
Recent F1 Return
Malaysia hosted a one-off Formula One race this month for a rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix after Middle East tensions canceled the original event.
Government Assessment
Malaysia's youth and sports minister said the government is assessing costs and economic benefits for bringing Formula One back regularly.
Minister's Statement
The minister noted staging Formula One is not cheap and requires assessing infrastructure and economic returns annually.
Economic Returns
This month's event generated 950 million ringgit ($233 million) in economic returns, but annual returns remain uncertain.
Next Steps
An assessment report is expected to be submitted to the Cabinet by November for potential Formula One return to Malaysia.
What to remember
Malaysia's government is considering bringing Formula One back to Sepang circuit annually or periodically after 17 years of hosting, with an economic assessment due by November.
