KUALA LUMPUR: Royal diplomacy between His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and His Majesty King Hamad Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain has led to the return of Formula 1 (F1) in Malaysia this year.
According to a post on Sultan Ibrahim’s official Facebook page yesterday, their Majesties have enjoyed a close personal friendship since 2017, which has continued to strengthen diplomatic ties between Bahrain and Malaysia, culminating in Sultan Ibrahim’s state visit to Bahrain in November last year.
“Following challenges to the Formula 1 race calendar arising from the armed conflicts in West Asia, the organising of the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix faced uncertainty and required an immediate solution to ensure the prestigious race could be held.
“In an effort to find a solution, the King of Bahrain had a (phone) conversation with the King of Malaysia.
“The discussion was carried out in a warm atmosphere in the spirit of friendship marking the beginning of strategic cooperation between the Malaysian and Bahrain governments, Formula 1 and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA),” it said.
The post further shared that as a result, a mutual understanding was reached and an agreement was secured to stage the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), bringing F1 back to Malaysia after it was last held here in 2017.
“The announcement of SIC as the host venue for the Bahrain Formula 1 Grand Prix has been well received, particularly by Formula 1 fans in Malaysia and across the region.
“It has created a significant chapter in history that reflects the strong royal diplomatic ties between Sultan Ibrahim and King Hamad,” it said.
On Sunday, F1 announced that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix at SIC from Oct 2 to 4.
“Positioned between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix, this event, which is subject to final agreements and official sign-off, will become the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia,” the organisation said.
In mid-March, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, originally scheduled for April, were postponed following the conflict in the Middle East, reducing this season’s calendar from 24 to 22 races.
According to reports, if the final two races of the season in Qatar on Nov 29 and Abu Dhabi on Dec 6 cannot proceed for the same reason, the F1 management will consider alternative venues.
As a result, the reports said Malaysia and Turkiye were among the candidates touted to host the race on Oct 4.
SIC previously hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017 before it was dropped due to rising hosting costs and licensing fees.
