malaysiang
SEPANG: The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) has yet to make a decision on whether to host the final race of the World Motorcycle Championship (MotoGP), initially scheduled for the Valencia Grand Prix in Spain.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, SIC’s chief executive officer, Azhan Shafriman Hanif, stated that discussions with race organiser Dorna regarding the event’s relocation to Malaysia have not yet taken place. He assured, however, that an announcement would be made in due course. Hanif expressed Malaysia’s readiness to host the race if Dorna requests to replace Valencia with Sepang.
He further explained the logistical considerations involved, highlighting the challenge of tyre production tailored for different circuits. “If they give [us the opportunity to host], we are ready. If so, can we hold it here, maybe in December? But for now, there is no discussion about having it here. Perhaps they are looking for another circuit, maybe in Europe,” Hanif commented. The production and shaping of tyres spe
cifically for the Malaysian circuit would require approximately a month.
The urgency for finding a new venue comes after Dorna’s announcement yesterday that the closing race of the 2024 MotoGP season, planned for November 15-17 at Valencia GP, has been cancelled. The cancellation was due to severe flooding in the Spanish province of Valencia, which tragically resulted in over 200 fatalities and significant destruction. The organisers assured that the new location for the final race would be revealed soon.
