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Petronas Plans to Revive Malaysian Grand Prix in 2026

The oil and gas company, which sponsors Mercedes, aims to bring F1 back to the Sepang International Circuit, despite previous concerns over costs and ticket sales.

Overview

  • Petronas, the title sponsor of Mercedes and a Kuala Lumpur-based oil and gas company, is planning to bring back the Malaysian Grand Prix (GP) to the Formula 1 (F1) calendar in 2026.
  • The Malaysian GP was a regular fixture from 1999 to 2017 but was discontinued due to low ticket sales and high hosting costs.
  • Petronas secured the naming rights to the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), the venue for the Malaysian GP, for three years in October 2023.
  • The plan to reintroduce the Malaysian GP was revealed during a company meeting led by Petronas' President and CEO, Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz.
  • Despite the high costs associated with hosting an F1 race, the sport's popularity has increased globally in recent years, driven by the 'Formula 1: Drive to Survive' Netflix TV series and the desire of countries to boost tourism and stimulate their economies.