Formula 1 Rumor: Malaysia GP may return in future years (4th Update)
(GMM) Malaysia has poured cold water on speculation it could re-join the ever-expanding Formula 1 calendar.
Liberty Media is devising a rotation system to accommodate more host nations, with former venues like Portugal openly pushing for a return. But Malaysia’s Youth and Sports Minister, Hannah Yeoh, told parliament last week that Sepang is not part of the plan.
“Hosting fees payable to Liberty Media are estimated at around RM300 million annually, with contracts typically lasting three to five years,” she revealed, mentioning a sum equating to roughly $71 million per year, or up to $350 million over several years.
Maintaining the Sepang track to FIA Grade 1 standards also costs RM10 million per year – about US$2.36 million annually.
Yeoh argued the money would be better spent developing local sport: “RM 300 million could support sports programs across 20 disciplines, benefiting 363 podium athletes and nearly 10,000 talent development athletes annually.”
With Singapore entrenched on the calendar and Thailand preparing to join in 2028, Yeoh was blunt: “These factors combined mean that bringing F1 back to Malaysia is not in our current plans.”
Sepang hosted Formula 1 from 1999 until 2017, before the government halted its involvement due to rising costs and declining attendance. Today, the circuit is focusing on MotoGP, with CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif warning: “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.”
Meanwhile, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali told Sport Bild he is prioritizing a return to Germany: “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.”
August 21, 2025
There are no current plans for Malaysia to host Formula One (F1) races in the near future, according to Hannah Yeoh.
The Youth and Sports Minister cited the high costs and a crowded motorsports calendar as key reasons.
Yeoh explained that several factors need thorough review before Malaysia can consider hosting F1 races again.
“Organizing F1 races requires the government to pay approximately $68.2 million annually to Liberty Media, which holds the F1 commercial rights.
“Malaysia would also need to commit to a three-to-five-year contract with the company, totaling about $340.9 million over that period,” she said during Ministers’ Question Time in the Dewan Rakyat today.
She noted that additional costs for preparing the track and organizing the event itself must also be considered.
Yeoh suggested that the $68.2 million fee could instead fund other programs under the ministry’s oversight.
This includes development programs for 363 podium athletes and 9,834 talent development athletes.
“This would cost approximately $28.2 million annually, with the $68.2 million able to support the program multiple times over,” she said.
While recognizing the prestige of F1 races as “nice to have,” Yeoh emphasized the significant funds required and how they could better support other sports.
However, she clarified that Malaysia remains open to hosting F1 races again if corporate entities are willing to cover the organizing fee.
“Those interested can connect with the Sepang International Circuit. We are open to this and can cooperate,” she said.
Malaysia first hosted F1 races in 1999, becoming the first country in the region to do so.
Due to rising organizing fees and declining fan interest, Malaysia ceased hosting the race on September 1, 2017.
Yeoh was responding to Oscar Ling Chai Yew (PH-Sibu), who asked whether Malaysia is positioned to host F1 races again and how the Sepang International Circuit maximizes its utilization to benefit the nation.
Yeoh also stated that the Sepang International Circuit is not a white elephant, highlighting its ongoing use for various programs.
These include recreational activities and the organization of the Petronas Grand Prix races.
She noted that the race attracted about 185,000 spectators last year, generating approximately $74.7 million and creating 4,493 job opportunities.
August 18, 2025
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.
February 1, 2024
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.
January 31, 2024
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.
