Malaysia planning to 'take a break' from F1

Kuala Lumpur

MALAYSIA is planning to take a "temporary break" from Formula One because of mounting losses, officials said on Tuesday, in ominous signs for one of Asia's longest-running grands prix.

Officials are due to meet this week to discuss the future of the Malaysian Grand Prix after its contract expires in 2018. "The locals are not buying the tickets to watch F1," Razlan Razali, chief executive of the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), told AFP. "If there is no economic value, why should we continue? We better take a temporary break."