The confirmation of our Formula One team – 1Malaysia – could bring a lot of good if run properly and could be disastrous if its not well managed. There has been a loud public outcry on it but the decision has been made and there is no turning back. We can only cross our fingers now and hope for the best. But while we do that, there are others who may not be all that lucky and could potentially loose out and eventually have their interests cave in.
Take our A1 Team Malaysia for example, rated among the Top 10 in the world and last season was rated as the 6th best out of a field of 22 competitors. The idea of the A1 Team Malaysia was to bring Malaysians together to form a national racing team and it is currently in its fourth year of competitive racing. With the birth of the national Formula One team, the future of the A1 Team Malaysia remains in limbo because not only will the Formula One team be fishing from Team Malaysia’s pool of talent, the Formula One team will also be fishing for the same, limited sponsors. This effectively puts the A1 Team Malaysia in a difficult position.
A friend of mine sent me an article about this sad occurence and it’s posted after the jump. It’s written by Shazwan Mustafa Kamal of The Malaysian Insider as he speaks to A1 Team Malaysia CEO Jack Cunningham about the problem:
KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — The 1 Malaysia Formula One team project has sparked concerns about the competition for sponsorship and funding in A1 Team Malaysia, the country’s representative in the rival international motor racing series.
A1 Team Malaysia CEO Jack Cunningham told The Malaysian Insider yesterday that the Formula One team project would have what he described as a tsunami effect on the local motor racing scene.
“It is definitely a bold move on the part of Tony Fernandes. Its impact is positive for some and negative for others.
“What is happening right now is such a big thing we’re not so sure yet exactly how it is going to impact us. It is not so clear at the moment,” said Cunningham.
He pointed out that A1 Team Malaysia’s funding could be affected in the near future as sponsors in the country are limited compared to the vast array of sponsors in countries like Japan and the US.
“With more attention and endorsement by sponsors to the 1 Malaysia F1 team, there may not be room for us in terms of future sponsorship contracts. A lot of prospective sponsors will be attracted by the F1 team,” said Cunningham.
The move to launch a Malaysian-owned Formula One team was recently made by Air Asia CEO Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes in a joint effort with government-owned Proton’s subsidiary Lotus.
The government’s intention to collaborate in the F1 project is spurred on by the notion that the teamwork could do well to enhance the spirit of 1 Malaysia while augmenting the nation’s global exposure.
The Lotus F1 team will have an initial capital of RM168 million while the annual expenditure for the team is an estimated RM308 million.
The project has received mixed reviews with some calling it a brave and bold move, while some critics are concerned with the exact amount of public funding that may be used.
While Cunningham is concerned with the competition for sponsors, he backed the country’s move to have its own Formula One team.
“No one can expect instant or good track results. To be in the F1 in itself is something of an achievement. F1 is at the pinnacle of motor sports. If you can join an exclusive club, why would you not want to?” said Cunningham.
The A1 Team Malaysia has been competing in the A1GP World Cup of Motor Sport for four years now and has consistently finished among the top 10 teams. It is also regarded as a potential championship title contender having been placed 6th overall out of 22 teams competing in last season’s race.
Cunningham pointed out that his team’s set up was actually in line with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1 Malaysia concept of a racially harmonious and performance-driven team.
“The A1 Team Malaysia concept predates the 1 Malaysia concept. We typify the essence of everything that is 1 Malaysia,” said Cunningham, who added that the crew is made up of Malay, Chinese, Indian as well as Caucasians with a true “Malaysian” spirit of representing the nation to win.
“I don’t think it’s really my business to tell the government what they are doing with their money.
“At this level of motor sport, it isn’t charity. People don’t go throwing cash at us so we can go motor racing. We’ve established ourselves in the field that we are worth working with.”
Cunningham declined to speculate on the possibility that the 1 Malaysia F1 team would in the near future recruit A1 Team Malaysia’s pool of talent, ranging from the racing car drivers to the technical support team.
“We are now accessing the various implications of the 1 Malaysia F1 Team announcement. The situation reverberates through the whole motor racing world,” he said.
A1 Team Malaysia was conceived five years ago with the aim of drawing together Malaysians to form a national racing team.
The motor racing team currently has a web-based fan club of over 35,000 members.
The team is preparing for a new season of racing which kicks off at Surfers Paradise in Australia on Oct 23.
Source: The Malaysian Insider
