Malaysian Grand Prix organisers want the start time of next year's race to be moved back to 3pm.
Organisers want race to move back to 3pm start
Malaysian Grand Prix organisers want the start time of next year's race to be moved back to 3pm in order to avoid the chaos seen at Sepang this season.
This year's race began at 5pm (9am GMT) at the insistence of Bernie Ecclestone - F1's commercial rights contoller wanting the race to reach as large a television audience in Europe as possible.
In the event, the race was red-flagged just past half-distance after monsoon conditions struck and, with darkness fast approaching, it could not not be restarted.
Sepang International Circuit CEO Razlan Razali believes the situation could have been avoided if the start time had not been altered.
"For many years, it rained after the end of the 3pm race and it's likely to happen again and again," he told Singapore's
Today newspaper.
"So, we need to rethink how we can make it agreeable to everyone involved."
Razali also dismissed the possibility, raised by Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak, that they might follow Singapore's lead and hold a night race.
"We will definitely not have a night race, but we are still talking to Bernie to stage a race between 3pm and 5pm," he added.
