“After every race, we have discussions with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to see where we can improve,” said SIC chairman Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir.
“The question of having the race earlier or at night will be finalised soon.”
This was the big question on the lips of many a fan when the race was stopped.
“Last Sunday, the worst case scenario happened and we did what we had to do,” said Mokhzani.
“According to our planning, the race starts at 5pm and ends at 6.45pm.
“The podium ceremony should be over by 7pm and the people can go for the (Jomiroquoi) concert.”
The race last Sunday was halted for one-and-a-half hours after just 32 laps when the thunderstorm and downpour made conditions too dangerous.
The race could not resume because the organisers had run out of daylight.
Mokhzani said should the race next year be held at night, the high cost of fixing floodlights—about RM30 million—was not a problem.
“We can recover the cost by renting out the track for other events.
“In fact, it had cost over RM300 million to build the track and we have recovered the amount.”
That SIC will continue to host the F1 race despite last week’s disruption of the event due to heavy rain, is not in question, because there is an iron-clad contract that says Malaysia hosts a race every year until 2015.
“But we are working out other things to make the F1 race in Malaysia a permanent feature.
“It is already a part of our tourism event and we want to promote Malaysia through the F1 race.”
Fan support this year was 80,000 compared with 130,000 last year but Mokhzani said this was not because of any lack of promotion or the race starting at 5pm.
“This was because of the economic slowdown.
“After every race, we analyse and find ways to improve any shortcomings, including the effect of the economic slowdown.
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