Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater Formula 1

Petronas preparing 2026 F1 Malaysian GP comeback – report

by Dan Lawrence
1 year ago
A A
2
Malaysian motorsport chief: F1 return ‘a matter of time’

Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Mercedes AMG F1 W08 and Max Verstappen (NLD) Red Bull Racing RB13 at the start of the race. 01.10.2017. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 15, Malaysian Grand Prix, Sepang, Malaysia, Sunday.

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

UPDATE: Petronas has released a statement regarding the potential of an F1 reprisal. “PETRONAS refers to the news reports published on 31 January 2024 on the potential return of the Formula One Grand Prix to Sepang, Malaysia, in 2026. We would like to confirm that there have been no discussions on bringing the sport back to the PETRONAS Sepang International Circuit.”

Earlier reports suggested that Malaysia’s state oil company Petronas was setting plans in motion to bring Formula 1 back to the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) for 2026, according to Reuters‘ sources.

Reuters’ three sources said that Petronas’ President and Chief Executive Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz revealed the plans in a company town hall meeting on Tuesday.

Neither the sources (unauthorised to converse with media) or F1 itself responded to requests for comment on the matter.

RelatedPosts

Lewis Hamilton converged closer to Charles Leclerc's set-up at Ferrari in Austria

How converging on Charles Leclerc’s set-up has aided Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

3 hours ago
Lando Norris converted pole position to win the 2025 F1 Austrian GP

Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Austrian GP Driver Ratings

4 hours ago

Designed by German engineer Hermann Tilke, SIC made its F1 debut in 1999. The circuit immediately etched itself into the history books by setting the stage for Michael Schumacher’s comeback from a broken leg at the ’99 British GP at Silverstone.

Schumacher, after a six-race absence, outqualified the field by 0.947s. The German then raced to support teammate Eddie Irvine, concerning victory to his number two driver who had found himself in a title fight with McLaren’s Mika Hakkinen.

A bargeboard illegality saw the win stripped from Irvine which was then controversially overturned to set up a title fight in the ’99 season finale.

Since its debut and through to its final race on the F1 calendar in 2017, Sepang continued to serve up iconic moments, including Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber’s ‘multi-21’ exchange in 2013 or Sergio Perez’s surprise podium for Sauber a year prior.

Jolyon Palmer (GBR) Renault Sport F1 Team RS17. Malaysian Grand Prix, Saturday 30th September 2017. Sepang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

 

Set in a stunningly humid client with a tendency for changeable weather, Sepang is a well-loved circuit amongst F1 fans, with stunning grandstands adorning the massive back straight, connected by a tight hairpin to an equally long start/finish straight.

The tight opening chicane encouraged overtaking manoeuvres and dramatic race starts and the rest of the layout featured fast sweeping corners blended into rises and declines and heavy braking zones too.

The costs associated with hosting F1 saw Sepang drop off of the calendar and in 2022 the word was that costs would prevent a return.

“At this juncture, the answer is no, not for the time being,” SIC Chief Executive Azhan Shafriman Hanif told The Straits Times when asked if Malaysia was planning to attract F1 to the venue outside the capital Kuala Lumpur.

“Perhaps in another two to three years when the economy has stabilised,” he added.

Reuters’ sources suggest that the time could be right for Petronas and SIC to tempt F1 back to Malaysia once again and a 2026 goal coincides with the expiry of three circuits’ deals on the current calendar, Baku, Circuit of the Americas and Barcelona – with the latter recently succeeded as Spanish GP host by Madrid from ’26 onwards, but still hopeful for an extension.

In F1’s absence, Sepang has hosted MotoGP and in October 2023, Petronas secured naming rights to the venue on a three-year deal.

Petronas has maintained an F1 presence as a title partner to the Mercedes F1 team.

Tags: F1MalaysianGPSepang
Share210Tweet131Share

Related Posts

Lewis Hamilton converged closer to Charles Leclerc's set-up at Ferrari in Austria
Formula 1

How converging on Charles Leclerc’s set-up has aided Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

3 hours ago
Lando Norris converted pole position to win the 2025 F1 Austrian GP
Feature

Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Austrian GP Driver Ratings

4 hours ago
Toto Wolff has given his backing to Fred Vasseur
Formula 1

Toto Wolff urges Ferrari to give Fred Vasseur time amid growing pressure on F1 role

5 hours ago
Load More

Comments 2

  1. Abdiel Zaiden Rafael Rodriguez says:
    2 months ago

    It’s clear that you are passionate about making a positive impact and your blog is a testament to that Thank you for all that you do

    Reply
  2. Athena Fiona Fletcher says:
    1 month ago

    Your blog stands out in a sea of generic and formulaic content Your unique voice and perspective are what keep me coming back for more

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
11Austrian GP27-29 June
12British GP04-06 July
13Belgian GP25-27 July
14Hungarian GP01-03 August
15Dutch GP29-31 August

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri216
Lando Norris201
Max Verstappen155
George Russell146
Charles Leclerc120
Lewis Hamilton91
Andrea Kimi Antonelli63
Alexander Albon42
Isack Hadjar28
Esteban Ocon23

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

Lewis Hamilton converged closer to Charles Leclerc's set-up at Ferrari in Austria
Formula 1

How converging on Charles Leclerc’s set-up has aided Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

July 1, 2025
Lando Norris converted pole position to win the 2025 F1 Austrian GP
Feature

Motorsport Week’s F1 2025 Austrian GP Driver Ratings

July 1, 2025
Toto Wolff has given his backing to Fred Vasseur
Formula 1

Toto Wolff urges Ferrari to give Fred Vasseur time amid growing pressure on F1 role

July 1, 2025

Follow Motorsport Week

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd