Sepang eyes F1 return with Cabinet proposal due in November

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 26 — The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) is drafting a feasibility study on bringing back the Formula One (F1) Grand Prix (GP) to Malaysia, to be presented to the Cabinet in November.

SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif said it was currently holding engagement sessions with the government, relevant agencies and industry players to obtain accurate information and data for inclusion in the study.

He said the findings would serve as one of the factors for the government to consider before deciding whether Malaysia should return as host of the prestigious race.

“We are in the process of preparing a feasibility study of bringing F1 racing back to Malaysia. In November, we will present a proposal paper to the Cabinet for the government to decide whether to agree to the proposal.

“During this period, we expect to hold engagement sessions with the government, relevant agencies and industry players to ensure that the data presented is accurate,” he told Bernama recently.

Azhan Shafriman said the study would emphasise the economic impact of hosting F1, in addition to assessing the country’s level of preparedness, especially in terms of traffic congestion management and public transport facilities.

On the prospects of Malaysia returning as host of F1, he described the country’s chances as 50-50, as the final decision would depend on the government’s consideration of the study’s findings.

“For now, it is still 50-50. It’s difficult for me to say yes or no (whether it will happen or not). But, insya-Allah, we will provide verified data or information to help the government come to a decision,” he added.

Meanwhile, on the possibility of Sepang serving as an alternative venue for international races amid tensions in West Asia, Azhan Shafriman said the SIC had so far not received any approaches from countries affected by the conflict.

However, he said the SIC remains open to discussions should the need arise, taking into account the preparation time required to host a race.

Malaysia last hosted an F1 race in 2017.

After nine years, Sepang once again hosted an F1 race – the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 – from Oct 2-4 following the conflict in West Asia and an agreement involving Formula One, the International Automobile Federation (FIA), and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia. — Bernama

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吉隆坡，10 月 26 日讯——雪邦国际赛道 (SIC) 正在起草一份关于将一级方程式 (F1) 大奖赛 (GP) 带回马来西亚的可行性研究报告，该报告将于 11 月提交内阁。

SIC首席执行官Azhan Shafriman Hanif表示，该公司目前正在与政府、相关机构和行业参与者举行磋商会议，以获取准确的信息和数据，以便纳入研究。

他表示，调查结果将作为政府在决定马来西亚是否应该重新举办这项享有盛誉的赛事之前需要考虑的因素之一。

“我们正在准备一份关于将F1赛事带回马来西亚的可行性研究报告。11月，我们将向内阁提交一份提案文件，由政府决定是否同意该提案。”

“在此期间，我们预计将与政府、相关机构和行业参与者举行磋商会议，以确保所呈现的数据准确无误，”他最近告诉马新社。

阿赞·沙夫里曼表示，这项研究将重点关注举办F1赛事的经济影响，并评估该国的准备程度，尤其是在交通拥堵管理和公共交通设施方面。

关于马来西亚重返F1举办地的可能性，他表示该国的机会五五开，因为最终决定将取决于政府对该研究结果的考量。

“目前来看，可能性仍然五五开。我很难断言这件事是否会发生。但是，如果真主保佑，我们将提供经过核实的数据或信息，以帮助政府做出决定。”他补充道。

与此同时，针对西亚局势紧张之际雪邦赛道是否有可能成为国际赛事的替代举办地，阿兹汉·沙夫里曼表示，雪邦国际赛车场迄今为止尚未收到任何受冲突影响国家的接洽。

但他表示，如果需要，雪邦国际赛车场仍愿意进行讨论，同时考虑到举办比赛所需的准备时间。

马来西亚上一次举办F1赛事是在2017年。

时隔九年，雪邦赛道再次举办F1赛事——2026年海湾航空巴林大奖赛——于10月2日至4日举行。此次赛事的举办得益于西亚冲突的缓解以及一级方程式赛车、国际汽车联合会（FIA）和巴林、马来西亚两国政府达成的协议。——马新社

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