Malaysia will host its first Formula One race in nine years after agreeing to stage Bahrain's postponed Grand Prix, allowing the event to go ahead despite disruption caused by the war in the Middle East.
The race at Sepang International Circuit will take place Oct. 2-4, Formula One and its governing body FIA said in a statement on Sunday. It will be held between the Azerbaijan and Singapore races.
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The Bahrain Grand Prix was scheduled for April this year, but the contest was one of two Middle East races indefinitely postponed due to the ongoing war between the US and Iran. Bahrain had sought to reschedule the race for early October, ESPN reported on Thursday, citing unidentified sources, but uncertainty persisted amid renewed escalation of the conflict this month.
“This agreement, reached between Formula 1, the FIA, the Government of Bahrain, and the Government of Malaysia, allows Formula 1 to preserve a Grand Prix that would otherwise not have happened,” according to the statement. It is also subject to final agreements, and approval from the World Motor Sport Council.
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah was also meant to be in April but was postponed because of the war, which erupted in late February. Formula One is still scheduled to hold races in Qatar in late November and Abu Dhabi in December.
Malaysia stopped hosting F1 races after a 2017 event, citing rising costs and declining ticket sales. The circuit had been a mainstay of the race calendar since its introduction in 1999.
“Malaysia stands ready to welcome Formula 1, the FIA, the teams and fans from around the world back to Sepang,” Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said in the statement, adding the collaboration reflects the close relations between his country and Bahrain.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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