Formula 1 has undergone a seismic shift under Liberty Media. Once the playground of traditional European venues, the calendar is now a patchwork of heritage tracks clinging on and new glitzy arrivals making their debut. Las Vegas, Miami and soon Madrid have muscled in, while Spa, once unthinkable to drop, has been forced onto a rotational basis under its new contract.
The message from F1’s CEO Stefano Domenicali is unambiguous: history and passion alone do not buy you a slot on theF1 calendar. A Grand Prix must be commercially viable, politically supported, and ideally backed by a city prepared to turn itself into a festival ground.
Yet the door is not completely closed for former hosts. Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit, which staged Grands Prix from 1999 to 2017, has emerged as a candidate for a comeback. And unlike some of the heritage venues fighting for survival, Sepang boasts two critical advantages—it has a track layout loved by drivers and fans alike, and a history of producing some of the most dramatic races of the modern era.
Sepang withdrew due to cost
Sepang bowed out of Formula 1 not because it was unloved, but because organisers chose not to renew their deal in 2017. At the time, the race was struggling to generate sufficient local revenue to cover hosting fees. With the sport about to explode under Liberty’s global marketing, Malaysia made the cold calculation: it was not worth the investment.
Today, that decision looks shortsighted. Azhan Shafriman Hanif, CEO of the Sepang International Circuit, admits as much. “We let Formula 1 go, and now it is very hard to get it back,” he told the New Straits Times. He also revealed the current hosting fee now quoted is around $70 million —almost double what they were paying during their last contract.
Hanif insists that if Malaysia is serious about returning, it cannot be a one-track effort. “It is not just SIC that wants Formula 1. Many stakeholders, from both the government as well as the corporate sector, also want it back. We have to look at how Singapore is hosting it. They have everyone onboard in making it a success. It has to be like that if we bring it back here.”
Singapore the ideal F1 model
The contrast with Singapore is stark. Introduced in 2008, the Singapore Grand Prix reinvented the concept of a race as a national event. Government backing, corporate sponsorship, and the city-state’s reputation for efficiency created an F1 night race spectacle that became a cornerstone of the calendar.
Malaysia had the better racing product—Sepang was wider, faster, and produced overtakes galore—but lacked the political and commercial alignment to turn the event into a money-spinner. As a result, Singapore survived and flourished, while Malaysia dropped off the map.
From a sporting perspective, the loss of Sepang has been significant. The Hermann Tilke-designed circuit was one of his best works: a wide track with long straights feeding into tight corners, creating multiple overtaking opportunities. Its unpredictable tropical weather routinely turned races into lotteries, producing classics like Fernando Alonso’s defiant victory in 2012, Sebastian Vettel’s bitter team orders clash with Mark Webber in 2013 (“Multi-21, Seb”), and Lewis Hamilton’s engine failure in 2016 that gifted the championship momentum to Nico Rosberg.
Vasseur defends Hamilton from Wolff accusation
Malaysian F1 races full of excitement
Sepang’s races were rarely dull. In contrast, some of the modern additions, while lucrative, have struggled to capture the same spirit of racing. But the financial hurdle remains. At $70 million in fees, Malaysia would need to mobilise government, sponsors, and tourism boards to justify the investment. Hanif is realistic about the challenge but insists the appetite is there. “We do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past,” he said. “If we bring it back, it must be with full backing.”
From a timing perspective, 2026 looks unlikely. The calendar is already maxed out at 24 races, but opportunities could arise in 2027 or 2028, especially with some tracks, like Spa, only committed on a semi-regular basis. Portugal’s Portimão and Turkey’s Istanbul Park are also lobbying for a return, so competition could be fierce.
Oh the sweet irony. A track that once shrugged off Formula 1 as too expensive is now desperate to rejoin, only to find Liberty’s price of admission is much higher. Sepang is like the repentant ex-lover turning up at the door with flowers, only to discover Formula 1 has moved on to flashier partners in Vegas and Miami.
Is there a way back for Sepang?
Yet the case for Malaysia is strong. The racing has never been in doubt. Unlike some of Liberty’s new darlings, Sepang can accommodate the current generation of oversized cars without looking like a go-kart track. Its weather is a built-in drama machine. And it is located in a region that still delivers fervent fan support.
But the sport is not driven by nostalgia or fan polls. It is driven by revenue streams, broadcast reach, and government chequebooks. Malaysia’s chances hinge not on Sepang’s quality, but on whether Kuala Lumpur is prepared to treat F1 as a national project, the way Singapore does.
The Malaysian debate underscores a larger truth about modern Formula 1. History, heritage, and on-track action matter—but only in the margins. The true currency is cash. If a circuit can pay, it can play. If it cannot, even a classic like Sepang risks being consigned to YouTube highlight reels.
So, will Malaysia get back into the F1 fold? Possibly, if the politics align. But the jury should be clear-eyed: it will not be a triumph of sporting merit, but of financial will. Then again it may be the case for Malaysia, that once you step off the carousel, there may never be a way back on?
McLaren’s civil war: When Piastri and Norris stop playing nice
The McLaren Formula One team is riding high in 2025. The racers from Woking have finally built a car capable of challenging Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes on raw pace, and it has two of the sharpest young drivers on the grid in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. At the halfway mark of the campaign, only nine points separate them. Both are chasing their maiden world championship.
The team insists there is only one rule—keep it clean. Beyond that, Andrea Stella and Zak Brown have given their drivers the freedom to race. On paper, it is an enviable position. In reality, it is a high-wire act without a safety net.
Former McLaren driver David Coulthard has warned not to mistake the current civility between the pair for harmony. Speaking on the Indo Sport podcast, he argued that no driver can be friends with the man in the other side of the garage. “He’s not your mate,” Coulthard said of the teammate dynamic. “He’s your biggest rival. Your success is his failure and vice versa. You can admire them, you can respect them, but if you’re happy for your competitor to beat you, you’re not wired right.”…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
