GP needs ‘more suitable’ time – Sepang boss

(GMM) The boss of the Sepang circuit insists the 2010 Malaysian grand prix must revert to a "more suitable" start time.

Bernie Ecclestone was nonplussed when it was put to him that a 'twilight' 5pm race proved inappropriate for Malaysia, given the fading light and torrential rain of last Sunday's shortened event.

"We definitely need to propose for a more suitable time for our race," said Sepang chief executive Razlan Razali. "The issue here is whether we have enough daylight and on Sunday, this was not the case."

Razali did not want to lay blame at anyone's door, but he is adamant the twilight concept has been proved wrong for the Kuala Lumpur region.

"It was not just the fans who were dissatisfied with a shorter race but I think everyone involved in F1 also lost money," he said.

Former team boss Eddie Jordan, however, sides with Ecclestone, who saw nothing wrong with the excitement of Sunday's 32 lap race.

"I would rather have a race of that distance and it be as exciting as that than lots of other races that we've seen and been bored to death," he said.

F1 chief executive Ecclestone was unrepentant for championing the twilight concept. "I only regret the rain," he said of Sunday's race.