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Ecclestone confirms early Sepang start time

Friday 14th August 2009

Bernie Ecclestone has given the go-ahead to the Sepang organisers wanting to move the start time of the 2010 race forward by an hour.

This year's Malaysian GP, which began at 5pm local time, proved to be a disaster as 32 laps into the race it was suspended as heavy downpour made the track conditions too dangerous.

And although the drivers sat out on the grid in the hope that the race would be re-started, FIA race director Charlie Whiting eventually called it off.

Next year, in a bid to avoid a similar situation, the Sepang organisers are keen to start the grand prix an hour earlier, a decision that has been given the okay by Ecclestone.

"We are going to run an hour earlier," Ecclestone told the Today newspaper.

The F1 supremo, though, defended his decision to start Asian races late in the afternoon in order to make them for European time zone friendly.

"We started this whole thing, particularly with Singapore, and added an extra race because it was very bad for us for TV in Europe," said Ecclestone. "So now we are having a look.

"With Australia we had a twilight race, so it was in Malaysia, but maybe we went a little late there and managed to find a good way to catch the rain.

"But I think in general that is what we will be doing now; it is good for the promoters and the events to have it in the evening rather than during the day."

Related Links
Earlier start for 2010 Malaysian GP

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