While Malaysia continues to debate the merits of potentially adding to
Formula One's contingent of floodlit races, one of the sport's leading drivers has raised questions about the safety of racing under lights in Singapore later this year.
This weekend's tenth running of the Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang could be the last to be run in daylight should the organisers bow to pressure to stage races when they can best be viewed by television audiences in Europe, and the circuit has admitted that it is still giving credence to the idea, with this weekend's second round of the championship being used as a 'research and development opportunity' that could help decide on the final merits of the project.
In an attempt to stifle various rumours surrounding the decision, general manager Datuk Azmi Murad told Malaysia's
New Straits Times that the circuit owners had yet to decide the future direction of the race.
"Right now, it is only an option," he said of considering a night race, "Nothing is finalised yet. We're still gathering input and we should also include the drivers and teams in Formula One and
MotoGP before we can do a proper evaluation. The governing bodies - the
FIA and FIM - also have to be consulted.
"It isn't only about whether to do or not to do it, it is also about how we want to do it and what sort of lighting, where we should locate the lighting and so on."
Any lighting system installed at Sepang would be permanent, much like those installed at Qatar's Losail circuit for the recent MotoGP season-opener. Singapore, meanwhile, will be forced to remove the floodlighting being installed for September's inaugural
F1 night race as it will be staged on a street circuit.
