Malaysia wants its night race in 2009!

Officials of the Malaysian Grand Prix want their 2009 event to become a night race. It would then be the second GP to be run at night on the Formula 1 calendar after Singapore.

The city-state will, in fact, host the first ever night-time F1 event in the history of the sport, which will take place on September 28. Other races in Asia have already expressed their desire to replicate this situation.

The president of Sepang, Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir, revealed that his current strategy is to become a night event starting in 2009 with collaboration from Singapore officials.

« Our goal is to organize a night race for next year. The same companies as in Singapore will be able to handle the lighting, » said Mokhzani, who would like to install a permanent lighting system on the track.

« It will not be exactly like Singapore. Our lighting system will probably have a greater range that can illuminate more than the circuit. We are still studying all the factors involved. »

The F1 drivers have unanimously praised Sepang’s decision to make its GP a night event. They are convinced that safety will be ensured in due course.

« I am completely at ease with this subject, » said David Coulthard of Red Bull Racing recently.

« I am sure that the FIA will be able to state all the criteria in terms of the amount of light that must be present. »

« For now, it’s Singapore that is in the spotlight; if everything works out for the best, it will be a great marketing tool for the Malaysian Grand Prix. »

« But we drive in Monaco and there’s the famous tunnel with its lights. For the drivers, the most difficult part of their qualifying lap is passing through the tunnel with artificial lighting, » he continued.

« For Malaysia, it will just be another Grand Prix, with the backdrop of nightfall. »