Formula 1 Rumor: Malaysia GP may return in future years (2nd Update)

Azhan Shafriman Hanif, CEO of Sepang International Circuit (pictured), regrets Malaysia’s decision to end Formula One racing at the track, a move he now sees as a costly misstep. With a packed Formula One calendar and steep hosting fees, bringing the event back to Sepang is a daunting challenge—but one Shafriman is determined to tackle while ensuring MotoGP remains a fixture.

“Releasing Formula One was a mistake,” Shafriman admitted recently. “Now, there’s a long waiting list to rejoin the F1 calendar, and the costs are staggering.” Liberty Media, Formula One’s owners since 2017, quoted SIC a $70 million race fee per event, excluding setup costs of RM10–20 million. In total, hosting a Malaysian Grand Prix would exceed RM300 million annually. “Many countries are queuing up,” Shafriman noted. “But if we’re serious, we can start the conversation.”

Sepang hosted Formula One from 1999 to 2017 but dropped the event due to escalating costs, declining global interest, and lackluster ticket sales. Since then, Formula One has undergone a renaissance, fueled by Liberty Media’s takeover, the Netflix series *Drive to Survive* (launched in 2019), and the introduction of Saturday sprint races in 2021. These changes have revitalized the sport, making a return to Sepang an enticing prospect.

“There’s strong interest from SIC, the government, and corporate stakeholders to bring Formula One back,” Shafriman said. He pointed to Singapore’s model, where ministries, businesses, and hotels collaborate to ensure the Grand Prix’s success. “It has to be a national effort, not just SIC’s,” he emphasized. “Everyone needs to contribute.”

However, Shafriman cautioned that profitability would take time. He cited the Petronas Grand Prix of Malaysia (MotoGP), which delivers a 6.3 times return on investment, according to a 2024 economic impact study, but required years to reach that level. “MotoGP and Formula One are national events, not just SIC’s,” he said. “We manage operations and branding, but their success depends on collective support.”

As SIC negotiates to renew its MotoGP hosting rights with Dorna Sports, Shafriman is adamant about avoiding past errors. “We let Formula One go and regret it. We can’t make the same mistake with MotoGP,” he said. The circuit is gearing up for the October 24–26, 2025, MotoGP event, aiming to draw over 200,000 spectators across three days.

For now, Shafriman’s focus is clear: secure MotoGP’s future while laying the groundwork for Formula One’s potential return. “If we do this right, with everyone on board, we can make it work,” he said, his sights set on restoring Sepang’s place on the global motorsport stage.

A proposed backer has poured cold water on new reports that Malaysia could soon be back on the Formula 1 calendar.

Sepang, located close to Kuala Lumpur, hosted the sport between 1999 and 2017, eventually opting to bow out after the Malaysian sports minister declared the “cost too high”.

There were rumors of a potential return for the Malaysian GP last year, but the new sports minister insisted that despite F1’s soaring popularity, F1 remains “very expensive”.

“For now, we can’t afford to have the races,” minister Hannah Yeoh, still the sports minister today, added.

However, reports this week have surfaced that suggest that Petronas, Malaysia’s state-owned oil company that sponsors the Mercedes team, could put up the money.

A spokesperson for Petronas, however, played down the reports.

“We wish to confirm that there have been no discussions regarding the return of Formula 1 to the Sepang circuit,” they declared.

Malaysia’s state oil company Petroliam Nasional, or Petronas, is looking to bring back Formula One races to Malaysia in 2026, after a nine-year hiatus, according to three Reuters sources with knowledge of the matter.

Malaysia hosted a leg of the F1 world championship at its Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from 1999, but by 2017 fans could not take the high humidity and temperatures and stopped buying tickets. With ticket sales down, the race collapsed.

Petronas’ plan to bring back the F1 race was revealed during a company town hall led by the firm’s President and Chief Executive Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz on Tuesday, the Reuters sources said.

Last year, Malaysia’s sports minister Hannah Yeoh said hosting an F1 race was “very expensive” and that: “If we could host an F1 race, we already would have done it – but for now, we can’t afford to have races.”

Petronas has been a sponsor of the Mercedes team since 2010, with the partnership bearing eight constructors’ and seven drivers’ world championships.

The track, which was circuit designer Hermann Tilke’s first to have made it into Formula 1, proved popular among drivers for its fast, challenging layout.

The Sepang International Circuit has retained FIA Grade 1 status since F1 last raced at the track, with several other series, including MotoGP, having raced there since.