F1: Sepang chief urges F1 bosses to 'put ego aside'
Skip to main content
E-paper বাংলা
T
TODAY’S NEWS
Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga tollway: Modern road, manual operation Teachers aren’t under siege, but reason and justice are Tigers asked to bat as game reduced to 16 overs per side Do we need wider roads in Dhaka? Engineer of Bangabandhu Rail Bridge injured in train accident, dies Twice flood-affected Lalmonirhat now bracing for erosion More rain likely in 24 hrs, flood situation may improve in 6 dists Siblings go missing while swimming across river to enter Bangladesh border Where do Bangladeshi mangoes go? Elon Musk breaks Twitter silence with post meeting Pope Francis Germany returns to Nigeria first 2 of over 1,100 priceless Benin Bronzes looted by Europeans 1 arrested over rape attempt in Lalmonirhat Each TV channel can broadcast 1 foreign serial: Info minister Prophet remarks: Kolkata cops issue look-out notice for Nupur Sharma Can police be deployed in the army-withdrawn camp sites in the CHT?
The Daily Star
Journalism Without Fear or Favour
Sunday, July 3, 2022
  • E-paper
  • বাংলা
TODAY’S NEWS
Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga tollway: Modern road, manual operation Teachers aren’t under siege, but reason and justice are Tigers asked to bat as game reduced to 16 overs per side Do we need wider roads in Dhaka? Engineer of Bangabandhu Rail Bridge injured in train accident, dies Twice flood-affected Lalmonirhat now bracing for erosion More rain likely in 24 hrs, flood situation may improve in 6 dists Siblings go missing while swimming across river to enter Bangladesh border Where do Bangladeshi mangoes go? Elon Musk breaks Twitter silence with post meeting Pope Francis Germany returns to Nigeria first 2 of over 1,100 priceless Benin Bronzes looted by Europeans 1 arrested over rape attempt in Lalmonirhat Each TV channel can broadcast 1 foreign serial: Info minister Prophet remarks: Kolkata cops issue look-out notice for Nupur Sharma Can police be deployed in the army-withdrawn camp sites in the CHT?
The Daily Star
Sunday, July 3, 2022 | Journalism Without Fear or Favour
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Views
    • Editorial
    • Opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Coronavirus
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB
বাংলা T
  • Home
  • News
    • Bangladesh
    • Asia
    • World
  • Views
    • Editorial
    • Opinion
    • Letters to the Editor
  • Health
    • Diseases
    • Healthcare
    • Food
  • Coronavirus
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • More Sports
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Global Economy
    • Organisation News
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Film
    • Music
    • Theatre & Arts
  • Culture
    • Art & Design
    • Books
  • Life & Living
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Food & Recipes
    • Health & Fitness
  • Youth
    • Education
    • Careers
    • Young Icons
  • Tech & Startup
    • Science, Gadgets, and Tech
    • Startups
    • Automobiles
  • Feature
    • Lifestyle
    • Arts & Entertainment
    • Showbiz
    • Star Health
    • Satireday
    • Shout
    • Toggle
    • Star Literature
    • In Focus
    • Star Youth
    • Law & Our Rights
    • Daily Star Books
    • Roundtables
    • Supplements
  • Environment
    • Climate crisis
    • Natural resources
    • Pollution
  • NRB

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
Sports

Sepang chief urges F1 bosses to 'put ego aside'

AFP, London
Sat Apr 29, 2017 04:36 PM Last update on: Sat Apr 29, 2017 04:43 PM
Mercedes' Nico Rosberg of Germany in action during first practice of the Malaysia Grand Prix. File Photo: Reuters

Sepang boss Razlan Razali has urged Formula One's new owners to "put their ego aside" and learn from the "two wheels" of Moto GP if they are to revive their sport.

This year will witness the last Malaysian Grand Prix before the race disappears from the calendar after a combination of low attendances and high fees, with the government spending some $67.6 million annually to stage the event, something the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) and their political bosses were no longer prepared to tolerate.

Earlier this month former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, ousted from his position after a takeover by the US-based Liberty Media in the off-season, gave an interview in which he admitted over-charging tracks to stage races.

Sepang chief executive Razlan, speaking to AFP in London on Friday, slammed Ecclestone for "making us look like idiots".

But while acknowledging Liberty were "easier to talk to", he said chief executive Chase Carey and managing director Sean Bratches, needed to make greater personal contact with promoters.

"I always feel for a new company to take over a championship like Formula One, they need to move faster than the Formula One cars themselves," Razlan told AFP.

"They are too slow to react...For circuit owners who pay them a lot of money every year, the least they could do is introduce themselves, rather than us going to them and saying 'Are you Chase?, are you Sean?'"

'Who is Lance Stroll?'

Razlan added: "They are trying their hardest to make it work, but they are too focused on the paddock club, which, let's face it, are less than a thousand people, rather than the masses.

"What triggers the masses is to buy tickets to watch Formula One, what they experience at the Formula One is secondary.

"They want to buy tickets because Formula One is damn interesting or because they are supporting a particular driver or a team."

Sepang may be giving up its Formula One Grand Prix, but it will remain on the Moto GP calendar and Razlan said: "Moto GP, they have everything, they have great support races with Moto Three and Moto Two.

"There are three world championship races and they create fans from the beginning.

"When a new rider comes into Moto Three, younger fans follow this particular rider.

"Maverick Vinales, for example, he started in Moto Three, he moved all the way up to Moto GP and the fans did the same."

But the pathway on four wheels is not so clear and Razlan said: "You look at Formula One, who's Lance Stroll (a new Williams driver this season), you tell me?

"There's no harm in looking at what the two wheels are doing, put ego aside, put whatever aside, and look at what they are doing."

Meanwhile Razlan, while pleased the F1 calendar now had back-to back races in the same region, said a gap of two weeks, as will happen when October's Malaysia Grand Prix follows September's Singapore Grand Prix later this year, was too long to persuade international fans to stay in the region for both races.

"Last year we were two weeks back-to-back with Singapore, that's still a long wait -- it should be one week, directly back-to-back," he insisted.

"It's unique for Asia, having one week to watch a night street race and then one week you go to a proper circuit like Sepang. I think it's fantastic for the global fans.

"It's something we talked about with Bernie in the past and sort of mentioned to Liberty Media, but they seem to have other plans."

Related topic
F1 / malaysia grand prix / Razlan Razali / moto GP
Apple Google
Click to comment

Comments

Comments Policy

Related News

Sports

Hamilton bosses Formula One season's first practice

Sports

Rosberg, Hamilton primed for desert duel

Sports

Ricciardo rules himself out for Mercedes

Sports

Golden oldie Massa fastest in second test

The Daily Star  | বাংলা
২ ঘণ্টা আগে|বাণিজ্য

যেসব দেশে রপ্তানি হয় বাংলাদেশের আম

স্বাদে গন্ধে বহু দেশের মানুষের মন জয় করেছে বাংলাদেশের আম।

৫ ঘণ্টা আগে|বাংলাদেশ

বাংলাদেশে আসতে পারেন সুধাকর দালেলা, দোরাইস্বামী লন্ডনে

The Daily Star
Follow Us
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • SMS Subscription
  • Apps
  • Comment Policy
  • RSS
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Newsletter
  • Privacy Policy
  • Conference Hall
  • Archives
© 2022 thedailystar.net | Powered by: RSI LAB
Copyright: Any unauthorized use or reproduction of The Daily Star content for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited and constitutes copyright infringement liable to legal action.