Malaysia ready to extend GP deal

As autosport.com reported in January, the country's government has said it will do everything in its power to ensure that the race continues beyond the current deal, which expires in 2010.

Following meetings between the race organisers and F1 commercial boss Bernie Ecclestone, the track say they are now ready to sign a new contract.

Sepang chairman Datuk Mokhzani Mahathir told Malaysia's The Star newspaper that he had acted on his government's mandate to agree a new deal - and hoped to get an answer by September.

"We have met Bernie Ecclestone recently to convey this message from the government," said Mokhzani. "We have had a preliminary discussion. I do not know his answer yet but if the terms of the extension are agreeable with us, we are ready."

Any deal to extend the Sepang contract will also likely result in improvements being made to the circuit, which first hosted the Malaysian GP in 1999.