Malaysia keen to host night race
FORMULA ONE: KUALA LUMPUR, March 12, 2011 (AFP) - Malaysia's Grand
Prix chief Tuesday voiced interest in hosting a night race at the Sepang
circuit, saying it would help reverse declining audiences for the
Formula One event.
"I think a night race will be interesting. The F1 race at night will
be cooler," Sepang International Circuit chairman Mokhzani Mahathir told
reporters as he kicked off a month-long ticket sales drive.
Mokhzani in 2008 ruled out a night race because of the heavy cost of
lighting the circuit.
Malaysia will host the second leg of this year's Formula One calendar
on April 10 after the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled for
March 13 was cancelled due to deadly political unrest in the Gulf state.
Last month Razlan Razali, chief executive of the Sepang International
Circuit, said steamy tropical temperatures have caused ticket sales to
plunge for Malaysia's event.
Sepang should stage a night race before its rights to host F1 expire
in 2015, Razlan said.
The Malaysian event has also been outshone by neighbouring Singapore,
which offers not just adrenaline-packed night racing on a street
circuit, but teams it with live entertainment by big-name performances
like Beyonce.
The 13-year-old Sepang event which has a daily capacity of 130,000
has failed to pull the crowds.
Last year just 97,000 people were drawn to the circuit over three
days. In 2009 there were 126,000 while 2006 recorded the biggest crowd
with 140,000 over three days. Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone has
said he is keen to hold all Asian races at night to attract maximum
audiences in Europe. Currently neighbouring Singapore and Qatar hold
night races.
Mokhzani, the son of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad, said it
was a natural evolution for the Sepang circuit to organise a night race.
"In Qatar and Singapore, we see it works," he said.
Mokhzani said the Sepang circuit would need to fork out about $15
million to host night races.
Organisers have planned a string of events at the circuit on race day
to lure the crowds including a live performance by South Korea's version
of Justin Timberlake, the singer-dancer Rain.
|