SIC to add Sepang 8 Hours into next year’s calendar

PETALING JAYA: Sepang International Circuit (SIC) will host a new major race in December next year.

The Sepang 8 Hours has just been added to the 2019-2020 FIM EWC (Endurance World Championship) calendar.

The Sepang 8 Hours, taking place on Dec 7, will be the first-ever winter race in the championship’s history and it’s the second race in Asia after the Suzuka 8 Hours in Japan.

The race will have the same format as the Suzuka 8 Hours, with a Superpole top 10 trial and a finish after nightfall.

The Sepang 8 Hours will also be the first qualifying round for all the South-East Asian and Japanese teams wishing to take part in the Suzuka 8 Hours.

It means the finest Asian teams hoping to qualify for Suzuka will be on track in Malaysia together with the permanent FIM EWC teams, who will be invited to Sepang.

“Based on a public survey that SIC conducted for three months last year, we are pleased that this race series FIM EWC was voted as events that Malaysians would like to see at Sepang Circuit as a replacement to Formula One.

“We are also pleased that the Sepang round will be the qualification round for Japanese and Asian Teams for the grand finale to participate in the iconic Suzuka 8 Hours.

“Interests for two wheels event have grown in Malaysia for the last eight years and we are excited for this event to take place in December 2019 after all the major events are completed and we hope to attract top riders to race in the Sepang 8 Hours,” said SIC chief executive officer Datuk Razlan Razali.