Follow usMalaysia has no plans to bring back Formula 1 to their country due to the soaring costs of hosting and a congested race calendar, Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh confirmed on Thursday.
The Sepang International Circuit hosted a race of the Formula 1 World Championship from 1999 until 2017, but Yeoh said a return is currently out of reach. According to her, hosting the race would require an annual commitment of around $71 million for a period of three to five years — more than double the government’s total investment in 20 national sports development programs.
Yeoh did not completely close the door on Formula 1’s return. She stressed that Malaysia remains open to hosting the event if private companies are willing to become sponsors. “The Formula 1 is a prestigious sports event that is followed by fans around the world. So if we could afford it, it would be good to have it in Malaysia,” she said, encouraging interested parties to liaise with the SIC.
Malaysia won’t be bringing back Formula One (F1) races anytime soon.
Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh told Parliament that hosting the race costs about RM300mil annually, with a required 3–5 year contract totalling around RM1.5bil. She said the funds would be better spent… pic.twitter.com/8kB5N1zgGg
— Scoop (@Scoopdotmy) August 21, 2025
The Sepang circuit, owned by state energy giant Petronas, continues to host MotoGP and other motorsport events.
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