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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia: Malaysia is holding off
extending its contract to host Formula One races while it
considers the high cost of staging a night grand prix.
Azhar Ghazali, a spokesman for F1
venue the Sepang International Circuit, said Friday that sports
and financial officials are still discussing details of a
proposed new five-year contract to replace the existing one,
which expires in 2010.
The most contentious issue is
whether Malaysia should agree to hold night races, Azhar told
The Associated Press. Such a move would require millions of
dollars (euros) in additional costs.
Azhar added that races under
lights were also a proposal that still requires the official
endorsement of the teams and the F1 administrative authorities.
Measures to upgrade the circuit
— including resurfacing the track — were carried out since early
this year, but these have not included any special arrangements
to ready the circuit for night races, he said.
Malaysia has hosted F1 races
since 1999.
The Star newspaper and
Malaysia's national news agency Bernama quoted Youth and Sports
Deputy Minister Liow Tiong Lai as telling Parliament on Thursday
that the government will have to spend 20 million ringgit
(US$5.77 million; €4.28 million) to improve infrastructure and
install new lighting at the circuit in order to hold a night
race.
"The government is still mulling
over the cost factor," Liow was quoted as saying in The Star.
"That is why we have yet to sign the contract to extend the F1
race in Malaysia from 2010 to 2015."
Liow said F1 boss Bernie
Ecclestone wants Malaysia to hold night races to attract more
television viewers from Europe and secure greater sponsorship.
Liow did not immediately answer
calls to his mobile phone Friday.
Liow told Parliament that
Malaysia has benefited from the F1 in many ways, such as
tourism. This year's event drew 115,000 spectators to the
circuit, 30 percent of whom were foreigners, Liow was quoted as
saying by The Star.
Sepang International Circuit
chairman Mokhzani Mahathir was last month reported as saying
that night races were among the new conditions in Malaysia's
contract to extend its hosting rights.
Malaysia has also dismissed
possible competition from neighboring Singapore, which has won a
five-year deal to host Formula One races starting in September
or October 2008, including a possible night grand prix. |
