Celebrating new beginnings
AFTER 19 long years, the curtain has finally come down on the Petronas Formula One Malaysia Grand Prix.
It was an emotional moment for those in the motorsport fraternity.
So, instead of looking at it as spelling an end to the motor racing industry in the country, one should view it as a move towards a new direction.
More race events are expected to be held at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), whose chairman Tan Sri Mohd Azman Yahya emphasised that “saying goodbye to F1 is not the end”.
“Why speak about its end? We should focus on the success of the event and what it had brought to Malaysia and motor racing in particular,” he said. “While F1 will be a big void to fill in the Malaysian racing calendar, let’s talk about the triumph of F1 in our country for the last 19 years.
“Yes, we built the circuit with the goal of bringing F1 here almost two decades ago, but we are much more than that now.”
He said that “SIC has become more of a motorsports centre” in the country.
This year’s race, thankfully, lived up to expectations, with a new winner in Max Verstappen.
Verstappen’s victory in the last race at Sepang proved extra special as he had celebrated his 20th birthday just one day before the race at the track.
The Dutch driver was ecstatic with his win, but sad that it was the last race in Malaysia. “It’s a shame that we won’t be coming here anymore,” he said.
Verstappen, who is the youngest driver to win a Formula One race at Sepang, commented what every other racer felt: That the heat was a real challenge.
More than 100,000 fans thronged the Sepang International Circuit to bid goodbye to the last F1 race on Malaysian soil.
It wasn’t just the 110,604 fans who found it hard to say adieu to the racing circuit; the F1 drivers struggled to contain their emotions as well.
Four-time F1 champion and Mercedes-AMG Petronas ace Lewis Hamilton said that the track held many memories and that he “was amazed by the fan turnout in the last race. This is the most number of fans I’ve seen in my 10 years racing in Malaysia,” he gushed.
Fernando Alonso, who has won at Sepang with three different teams, also felt that it was a shame they won’t be racing in Malaysia again.
“I won’t miss the weather, but the circuit is just amazingly challenging ... the way the temperatures and weather change drastically. I have won here with Renault, Ferrari and Mclaren. So, it has been a good circuit for me personally,” hesaid.
While the drivers and fans lamented on the demise of the Malaysian Grand Prix, one man – SIC supremo Azman – remains optimistic of a new beginning.
The F1, he said, had been the catalyst in spearheading other developments in motorsports for SIC, which has been approached by the organisers of the World Touring Car Championship, Australian V8 Supercar Series as well as Super GT.
“You will be surprised to see what we can do to the Sepang circuit after F1,” he said.
Azman added that SIC is looking to instal between
100 and 200 test lights to brighten up the track. “This way, we can hold open track races at night – between 6pm and midnight – on weekends and, depending on demand, on weekdays too,” he said. Funds would also be channelled to redevelop the go-kart and off-road tracks.
All said and done, history will show that the Malaysian GP was a success story.