F1 Malaysian GP could find its way back on the calendar as the country shows renewed interest to make a return

According to the head of the Malaysian Motorsports Association, the return of the Malaysian Grand Prix to the F1 calendar is a "matter of time." Malaysia first hosted a round of the F1 World Championship in 1999, and the event was contested yearly at the Sepang track until the conclusion of 2017.

Najib Razak, the president at the time, said that mounting expenses were the key cause for the early cancellation of its contract, and the race has not been on the F1 schedule since.

However, Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir, president of the Motorsports Association of Malaysia (MAM), has recently acknowledged that Malaysia now has a stronger desire to host an F1 round than it had when it decided to cancel its grand prix, providing it makes financial sense.

Tan Sri Mokhzani Mahathir said to the media:

"In terms of being the host, it’s not a problem. It is a question of who is going to pay and whether we can afford it or not, i have no idea what is it (the cost) right now, but definitely it is higher than when we stopped in 2017."

According to the MAM president, current drivers still express a desire for the technical challenge presented by the famed Sepang track. As a result, he feels that the possibility of Malaysia returning to the Formula One calendar is not far off. Mahathir also feels that the significant surge in popularity caused by the hit Netflix series Drive to Survive has increased interest for hosting a Formula 1 event.

F1 weekend at Imola might be canceled due to heavy rain risk

The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is at risk of being rained out this weekend, with the region being under a red alert weather threat. On Monday (May 15) evening, the Department of Civil Protection issued a weather red notice for the Emilia-Romagna area, which includes the Imola circuit, which will host this weekend's race.

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The warning, which is now in effect until Tuesday and Wednesday, alerts to strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms that could cause floods, infrastructure damage, and even landslides.

Local mayors were recommended to close schools and highways that were at danger of becoming submerged in water due to the serious flooding concerns, and this recommendation came after a meeting of the National Crisis Unit. Travel was discouraged for citizens as much as possible.

The challenging scenario has unavoidably increased the chance that the Imola weekend would suffer, either in terms of how fans travel to and from the circuit or even in terms of how smoothly the event proceeds.

People are convinced that there is no fear about the Emilia Romagna GP not taking place, despite the red alert status having given rise to rumors that it may possibly be postponed. As scheduled, teams and officials are on the road.