Malaysia to make F1 comeback in October as host of Bahrain GP
The race in Malaysia will slot in between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sep 26 and Singapore on Oct 11.
Mercedes’ British driver Lewis Hamilton powers his car during the first practice session of the Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix in Sepang on Sep 29, 2017. (File photo: AFP/Manan Vatsyayana)
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BUDAPEST: Malaysia’s Sepang circuit will host a rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix in October, Formula One announced on Sunday (Jul 26).
The Liberty Media-owned sport said in a statement at the Hungarian Grand Prix that the Oct 4 race at the circuit near Kuala Lumpur’s international airport would officially be designated the “Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia”.
“This is fantastic news for our fans,” said Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali of the agreement between the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain as well as the governing FIA and Formula One.
“They will continue to enjoy a full and exciting Formula One calendar, while also seeing the sport return to a great venue.
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“Sepang holds a special place in Formula One history. It will provide a spectacular setting for racing and an unforgettable experience for fans at the circuit and watching around the world.”
APRIL RACES WERE CALLED OFF DUE TO IRAN WAR
The cancellations of April’s race at Sakhir and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah were due to the Iran war and the situation in the Middle East.
The addition of Sepang takes the championship back to 23 races, although there is continuing speculation about whether the last two rounds of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will happen.
Italy’s Imola, a home circuit for Ferrari, is being considered as a replacement finale should those Middle Eastern races also not happen, according to informed sources at the Hungaroring.
The rescheduled Bahrain race, at a circuit that last hosted Formula One in 2017 but is a MotoGP fixture, will slot in between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sep 26 and Singapore on Oct 11.
There are several precedents to one country holding a race with the name of another: Germany’s Nuerburgring hosted a Luxembourg Grand Prix, the San Marino Grand Prix was held for many years at Imola and the Swiss Grand Prix was held in France.
Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat owns Formula One champions McLaren and the grand prix is the kingdom’s biggest annual sporting event, serving to promote Bahrain internationally.
The country, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, has come under attack from Iranian missiles and drones.
It usually pays tens of millions of dollars in hosting fees to Formula One and sources indicated Bahrain would be covering the bulk of the costs involved in the rescheduling.
The event remains subject to final agreements and approval of the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.
Source: Reuters/dc
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