Tunku Abdul Rahman hopes Petronas Sepang International Circuit will deliver a world-class F1 experience after nine-year absence.
THE Tunku Panglima of Johor, Tunku Abdul Rahman Sultan Ibrahim, has expressed his hope that the organisers, including the Petronas Sepang International Circuit (SIC), will deliver a world-class experience for race fans following the return of Formula 1 (F1) to Malaysia.
Tunku Abdul Rahman, who is the President of Johor Motorsports Racing (JMR) and a racer himself, said the return of the prestigious event after a nine-year absence was a highly anticipated moment for the nation’s motorsports enthusiasts.
“I hope the organisers, including the Petronas SIC, will be able to do a great job with the event and give the best possible experience to race fans, especially our local Malaysian fanbase, as they have hoped and waited a long time for F1 to return to our shores.
“The sport has grown tremendously and hosting an international-level event such as this here will inspire and spur our local motorsports industry, not only in terms of the development of athletes, but also for the growth of motorsports infrastructure and ecosystem as well,” he said in a statement today.
The Tunku Panglima of Johor also shared his personal connection to the circuit, noting that the return of F1 would put Malaysia back on the global map in a positive light.
“Sepang is always a special place, where I watched my first F1 race with my late grandfather in the 2000s Schumacher era, right up to the last race in 2017. Bringing F1 back is a positive highlight for Malaysia on the world map,” he added.
Reflecting on the latest milestone, Tunku Abdul Rahman credited the diplomatic efforts between the heads of state that made the return possible.
“I am very thankful for the consensus reached between His Majesty The King of Bahrain, His Royal Highness The Crown Prince of Bahrain who is also Prime Minister, as well as His Majesty The King of Malaysia that has led to this exciting news.
The race, named the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix (GP), will be held from Oct 2 to 4 in Sepang.
