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Speculation Mounts: Malaysia's Petronas Eyes 2026 Formula One Comeback

Cataleya

February 01, 2024 · 1 min read

Speculation Mounts: Malaysia's Petronas Eyes 2026 Formula One Comeback

Other Sports | February 01, 2024

Max Verstappen of Red Bull claimed his second Grand Prix victory in Malaysia, with Lewis Hamilton securing second place. (Image: Diego Azubel/EPA)

Malaysia’s state oil company, Petronas is reportedly considering bringing back Formula One races to Malaysia in 2026 according to insider sources. However, Petronas stated that there have been no discussions about hosting the race at the Sepang International Circuit.

The plan was allegedly revealed during a company townhall but specific reasons for the return were not disclosed. Malaysia previously hosted F1 races at the Sepang circuit until 2017 citing declining ticket sales and rising costs.

While the SIC continues to host MotoGP races there has been no official response from Formula One or the Malaysian government. Hosting an F1 race is deemed expensive as noted by Malaysia’s sports minister in previous statements.

The sport’s global popularity has increased, driven by the Netflix series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.” Petronas a major sponsor of the Mercedes F1 team is set to announce its 2023 earnings in early March. Last year, the team ranked second in the constructors’ standings.