Ticket sales boost for Malaysia GP

A spectacle with a difference at the dramatic Australian Grand Prix on Sunday seemed to have an effect on the Petronas Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend, as the impact was felt in a swift rise in ticket sales.

"We've now matched the numbers in ticket sales compared with the same period last year as of last Friday and it is improving," said Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chief executive officer Razlan Razali yesterday.

After an initial scare brought about by the global credit crunch, which had the SIC doubting their 130,000 capacity crowd target two weeks ago, Razlan said the organizers are now confident of at least equaling the number of spectators they had last year.

"The Australian Grand Prix showcased something that the fans wanted — close racing. And it was sort of a surprise which was expected with Brawn GP taking the top two spots," said Razlan.

"The race at Sepang is also something the teams will be looking forward to. It is the first race on a real circuit compared to Melbourne, where the full potential of the technological changes will be utilized."

Razlan said the introduction of the KERS (kinetic energy recovery systems) which provide a push-to-pass option, was not used by all teams in Australia, but its true potential will be seen in Sepang.