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F1鈥檚 SE Asia future bleak as Singapore on Malaysia path
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FORMULA One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has cast doubt over the future of the sport in Southeast Asia by telling a German magazine that Singapore no longer wants to host a grand prix after its current deal expires next year.
Neighboring Malaysia will not host a race after 2018 because of declining ticket sales and TV viewing figures, local media reported yesterday, and the region could be left without a race for the first time since 1998.
The Singapore race costs some 150 million Singapore dollars (US$105.04 million) to put on every year, 60 percent of which is funded by the government. It was first staged in 2008 and the city-state renewed its contract for another five years in 2012.
Ecclestone’s blunt comments in Auto Motor und Sport, however, suggested negotiations over a further extension have not gone well. “Look at what we have done for Singapore,” Ecclestone said. “Yes, the grand prix has cost Singapore a lot of money, but we’ve also given them a lot of money.
“Singapore was suddenly more than just an airport to fly to or from somewhere. Now they believe they have reached their goal and they do not want a grand prix anymore.”
In comments to The Straits Times, however, Ecclestone clarified that F1’s stand was that it did not want to lose Singapore. “My words were taken in a funny way. What I said was simple — no decision has been taken yet.”
Ecclestone, 86, is famous for outspoken media interviews during negotiations. The Briton attended this year’s Singapore race amid negotiations on F1’s takeover by US cable TV mogul John Malone’s Liberty Media.
Formula One announced a record-equalling 21-race provisional calendar for 2017 in September.
The Singapore race is one of the glamour rounds of the championship, taking place at night on a street circuit. Crowds, which topped 100,000 on all three days in the first year, have declined, however, with this year’s race averaging 73,000 spectators for each day, down from 87,000 in 2015.
A fall in ticket sales is also behind the decision by Malaysia to end its annual round of the championship, which has been held at Sepang since 1999.
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