Litar Antarabangsa Sepang menjadi tuan rumah Grand Prix Malaysia dari 1999 hingga 2017 sebelum perlumbaan itu digugurkan daripada kalendar F1 susulan peningkatan kos penganjuran dan yuran pelesenan. (Gambar Bernama)PETALING JAYA: Bahrain akan menerima semua hasil daripada penganjuran Grand Prix Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain di Litar Antarabangsa Sepang (SIC) pada Oktober ini, manakala Malaysia hanya menanggung kos persediaan dan operasi tempatan.Ketua Pegawai Eksekutif SIC Azhan Shafriman Hanif berkata berkata Bahrain akan membayar yuran penganjuran perlumbaan yang dianggarkan antara USD70 juta (RM298 juta) hingga USD80 juta, lapor Bernama.Menurutnya, Malaysia hanya perlu menanggung kos tempatan kira-kira RM40 juta bagi memastikan Litar Sepang memenuhi spesifikasi Formula 1.Azhan berkata berdasarkan aturan semasa, Bahrain turut akan menerima semua hasil jualan tiket serta menentukan harga tiket.“Saya tahu ramai netizen mahukan tiket murah dan saya akan cuba sedaya upaya mendapatkan harga istimewa untuk rakyat Malaysia, tetapi keputusan muktamad terletak di tangan Bahrain,” katanya.Beliau berkata rundingan dengan Litar Antarabangsa Bahrain (BIC) ketika ini tertumpu kepada aspek operasi perlumbaan dan masih belum memasuki peringkat komersial membabitkan jualan tiket, pakej layanan korporat dan barangan rasmi.Pasukan dari Bahrain dijangka tiba di Malaysia minggu depan untuk mengadakan rundingan yang dijangka memberikan gambaran lebih jelas mengenai perkara berkenaan.Azhan berkata sekiranya Malaysia menganjurkan perlumbaan itu sendiri dengan menanggung yuran hak penganjuran dan kos operasi tempatan, jumlah keseluruhannya akan mencecah sekurang-kurangnya RM300 juta.“Berdasarkan data yang saya lihat, kebanyakan negara tuan rumah memperoleh pulangan sekurang-kurangnya tiga kali ganda daripada jumlah perbelanjaan mereka.“Ini bermakna jika RM300 juta dibelanjakan, potensi pulangan kepada negara boleh mencecah RM1 bilion,” katanya.Formula 1 mengesahkan SIC akan menjadi tuan rumah Grand Prix Gulf Air Bahrain dari 2 hingga 4 Okt menerusi perjanjian membabitkan Formula 1, Persekutuan Automobil Antarabangsa (FIA), serta kerajaan Malaysia dan Bahrain.Perjanjian itu membolehkan Grand Prix Bahrain kekal dalam kalendar Formula 1 2026 selepas perlumbaan berkenaan dibatalkan susulan ketegangan geopolitik di Asia Barat.SIC menjadi tuan rumah Grand Prix Malaysia dari 1999 hingga 20… The Sepang International Circuit hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017 before it was removed from the calendar because of rising hosting costs and licensing fees.
(Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Bahrain will receive all proceeds from October's Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), with Malaysia footing only the bill for local preparations, says SIC CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif.Bernama quoted Azhan as saying that Bahrain is covering the race's hosting fee, estimated at between US$70 million (RM298 million) and US$80 million.He said Malaysia's share is limited to around RM40 million in local costs to bring the Sepang circuit up to Formula One specifications.Azhan said that under the current arrangement, Bahrain would also receive all ticket sales revenue and decide ticket prices.“I know many netizens want cheap tickets, and I will try my best to get a special price for Malaysians, but the final decision is in Bahrain’s hands," he said.Azhan said that talks with the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) are currently focused on the race's operational aspects and have yet to move into the commercial phase covering ticketing, hospitality and merchandising.A Bahraini team is expected in Malaysia next week for face-to-face negotiations, which should provide greater clarity on those matters, he added.Azhan also said that if Malaysia hosted the race on its own, covering both the rights fees and local operating costs, the total bill would be at least RM300 million."Based on the data I have seen, most host countries receive returns of at least three times the value of their expenditure. This means that if RM300 million is spent, the potential returns to the country could reach RM1 billion," he said.Formula 1 confirmed that SIC would host the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from Oct 2 to 4 under an agreement involving Formula 1, the FIA, and the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain.The deal keeps the Bahrain Grand Prix on the 2026 calendar after it was cancelled due to geopolitical tensions in West Asia.SIC hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017 before it was removed from the calendar because of rising hosting costs and licensing fees.In April 2023, then youth and sports minister Hannah Yeoh said it would be “quite impossible” for Malaysia to host Formula 1 races in Sepang again because of the high costs involved.Prim…
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