Malaysian Grand Prix organisers have ruled out holding a night race next year following the success of the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, but they have pushed back the start time to 5pm.
The sport’s governing body has been pushing for more night races in Asia to satisfy European television demands and earlier this year Malaysia said it was keen to go ahead with one in 2009.
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chairman Mokhzani Mahathir said the concept was off for the time being, but the race had been pushed back two hours.
He said the calling off of the night race meant there was no longer the requirement to fix lights for the circuit in anticipation of a night race.
“The lighting costs quite a bit and this is an effort to keep the cost of F1 in Malaysia down. And Bernie (Ecclestone) has agreed,” he said.
Having a night race, he added, also meant that foreign fans would miss the chance to catch their return flights.
Ecclestone is keen on holding as many Grands Prix as possible in the Pacific Rim area in the evening, in order for them to be broadcast at a far more palatable time for key European viewing audiences - therefore satisfying the fans, sponsors and on-site spectators, who will be able to soak up the F1 atmosphere ‘after dark’.
Whilst the 77-year-old has hinted that he would be keen for countries such as Malaysia, Japan, China and Australia to follow Singapore’s lead, the former has stressed that a night race is emphatically not an option.
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