Malaysia closes door on F1 comeback

Malaysia has confirmed it is not planning to return to the Formula 1 calendar, despite Liberty Media working on a race rotation model that could see former hosts reinstated.

Portugal is among the venues lobbying for a slot, but Malaysia’s sports minister Hannah Yeoh told parliament that Sepang is not under consideration.

“Hosting fees payable to Liberty Media are estimated at around RM300 million annually, with contracts typically lasting three to five years,” she explained, about $71 million per season, or up to $350 million across several years.

On top of that, keeping Sepang compliant with FIA Grade 1 regulations costs another RM10 million - roughly $2.36 million - every year. Yeoh said those funds would be better channelled into grassroots and elite programmes.

“RM300 million could support sports programmes across 20 disciplines, benefiting 363 podium athletes and nearly 10,000 talent development athletes annually," she said.

She also cited the regional landscape, pointing to Singapore’s long-standing night race and Thailand’s confirmed debut in 2028.

“These factors combined mean that bringing F1 back to Malaysia is not in our current plans,” Yeoh added.

Sepang staged Formula 1 from 1999 until 2017, before rising costs and falling attendance forced the government to step away. The track now concentrates on MotoGP, with CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif stressing: “We do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past. We let F1 go and now it is very hard to get it back. I hope we don’t make the same mistake with MotoGP.”

Elsewhere, F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said he remains focused on reviving the German GP.

He said: “Germany is Germany and it belongs to Formula 1. If anyone is seriously interested, they will find a way to contact me, but time is running out, there is a long list of countries waiting, with their prime ministers and royals who absolutely want to have a race.”