Hannah Yeoh: Exorbitant cost to bring back F1 better spent on other sports

Hannah Yeoh: Exorbitant cost to bring back F1 better spent on other sports



Redbull’s Max Verstappen takes part in the F1 Malaysia Grand Prix in Sepang October 1, 2017. — Reuters pic

Thursday, 21 Aug 2025 12:30 PM MYT


KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — Malaysia has no plan to renew hosting the Formula 1 (F1) Grand Prix due to the high costs involved and the number of races already in the region, Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh told Parliament today.

She was responding to Sibu MP Oscar Ling Chai Yiew, who asked if Malaysia was planning to do so and how the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) could be put to better use.

“Hosting fees payable to Liberty Media are estimated at around RM300 million annually, with contracts typically lasting three to five years.

“This would amount to a financial commitment of between RM900 million and RM1.5 billion,” she told the Dewan Rakyat, adding that maintaining the Sepang track to Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) Grade 1 standards costs a further RM10 million each year.

Yeoh said the ministry must weigh the value of such spending against the benefits for Malaysian athletes, highlighting that RM10 million spent on circuit maintenance could instead fund the Road to Gold programme for a full year or provide RM30 million in matching sports grants over ten years.

She added that RM300 million could support sports development programmes across 20 disciplines, benefiting 363 podium athletes and nearly 10,000 talent development athletes annually.

She also pointed out the number of races in the season, including those that will be held in countries around Malaysia.


“The 2025 calendar begins in February in Bahrain, with the first race on March 16 in Australia, followed by 23 other destinations. Malaysia would also face stiff competition from regional neighbours, including Singapore, which has hosted F1 since 2008, and Thailand, which is set to join in 2028.

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

However, the minister clarified that Malaysia has not closed the door on F1’s return, and corporate sponsors interested in covering the hosting costs may reach out to the SIC for further discussions.

At present, she said that SIC is focusing its efforts on hosting the MotoGP, which provides greater economic value at only a quarter of the hosting fee required for F1.

Malaysia first hosted the F1 race in 1999, becoming the first Southeast Asian nation to stage the prestigious event, with the SIC remaining a fixture for 19 years until the final race on September 1, 2017, when the government ended its involvement due to rising fees and declining spectator numbers.

***

O Hannah,some VVIP may be enormously upset you have deprived his son from his fave sport.