Signing of the First 5-Year Contract for Hosting UIM Formula 1 World Powerboat Championship in Malaysia

On 23 November 2000, the UIM F1 World Championship signed a 5-year contract with H2O Sports of Malaysia for hosting of the UIM F1 Grand Prix in Malaysia. The contract is expected to usher in a new and exciting era in Malaysia’s powerboating sports arena in particular and in its tourism and other related industries in general.

The signing of the contract was held in the prestigious Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club, the present headquarters of the UIM F1 World Championship.

The Malaysian delegate was represented by His Right Honourable Dato Haji Abdul Ghani Bin Othman, the Chief Minister of Johor, the state where the first Grand Prix is expected to be held next year; His Royal Highness Prince Sulaiman Shah; His Excellency Dato Syed Hussein Al-Habshee, Malaysian Ambassador to the U.A.E.; and His Honourable Dato Yahya A. Jalil, the Managing Director of H2O, the company that is directly responsible for bringing the UIM F1 to Malaysia. The UIM was represented by Mr. Ralf Frohling, the UIM President, and Mr. Nicolo di San Germano, the F1 Promoter. Mr. Moh’d Sanad Al Qubaisi, General Manager of the Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club was also present at the signing ceremony.

"I am extremely happy that this first 5-Year contract of the 3rd millennium has been signed with Malaysia, because it is a major milestone in our goals to expand this sport in Asia.," said San Germano, the F1 Promoter. "It proves that our choice of Abu Dhabi as the headquarters of the F1 World Championship was an excellent decision because it serves as the ideal point for the sport to expand into other regions, especially the Middle East and South East Asia."

Dato Yahya Jalil, the Managing Director of H2O, spoke of his country’s plans to "boost tourism and powerboating sports in Malaysia, as has been so successfully done in Dubai and Abu Dhabi over the past 10 years." He stated that H20 is privileged to play a prominent role in the sporting scene by taking the initiative to introduce various new sporting events in Johor state and in Malaysia, and hope eventually to do so in other regions as well.