It has been almost nine years since Formula 1 last raced at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) on October 1, 2017. Malaysia now has the opportunity to host the prestigious race again if the Bahrain Grand Prix is cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Youth and Sports Minister Taufiq Johari said the government has received initial information about the possibility and the matter has been informed to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
According to him, the Youth and Sports Ministry is currently conducting discussions and assessments before any decision is made.
According to Reuters, Sepang is among several circuits being considered as a replacement location, along with Portimao (Portugal), Barcelona (Spain) and Suzuka (Japan).
Formula 1 is reportedly looking for a race slot between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in late September and the Singapore Grand Prix in early October if Bahrain is dropped from the calendar this season.
Malaysia last hosted Formula 1 in 2017 when Max Verstappen won the Malaysian Grand Prix. The race brings the curtain down on Formula 1 hosting in Sepang after 19 consecutive years, since the circuit began hosting in 1999.
Although the desire to bring Formula 1 back to Malaysia has often been raised, the high cost of hosting remains a major challenge.
Previously, the government estimated the hosting fee to be around RM300 million per year, making any effort to bring back Formula 1 dependent on strong support from the private sector as well as the commercial viability of the event.
