Malaysia Rules Out Return of F1 Over Costs

Ferrari team's technicians get ready at the pits' stops during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, on August 3, 2025. (Photo by ANNA SZILAGYI / POOL / AFP)
Ferrari team's technicians get ready at the pits' stops during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, on August 3, 2025. (Photo by ANNA SZILAGYI / POOL / AFP)
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Malaysia Rules Out Return of F1 Over Costs

Ferrari team's technicians get ready at the pits' stops during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, on August 3, 2025. (Photo by ANNA SZILAGYI / POOL / AFP)
Ferrari team's technicians get ready at the pits' stops during the Formula One Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring circuit in Mogyorod near Budapest, Hungary, on August 3, 2025. (Photo by ANNA SZILAGYI / POOL / AFP)

Malaysia on Thursday ruled out Formula One returning to the country in the near future, citing costs and an already packed racing calendar.

The Southeast Asian nation first hosted an F1 race in 1999 at its Sepang International Circuit, with the last grand prix held there in 2017.

Malaysia dropped out of the F1 calendar from 2018 amid the rising costs of hosting the event.

Sepang still annually stages MotoGP motorbike racing.

Sports minister Hannah Yeoh said hosting F1 again would require the Malaysian government to pay about 300 million ringgit ($71.09 million) annually.

Beyond hosting rights, Yeoh said the circuit requires about 10 million ringgit a year to maintain to the required standards for top-level motor racing.

"Malaysia must also bind itself to a contract of between three to five years with Liberty Media (which holds F1's commercial rights), amounting to a commitment of about 1.5 billion ringgit during this period," she told parliament on Thursday.

"The current race calendar is very tight and if Malaysia is interested in hosting again, we will have to compete with other countries for a place on the calendar," she added.

In the region, Singapore stages a night race and Thailand hopes to become the latest host.

The Thai cabinet in June approved a $1.2 billion bid to stage F1 on the streets of Bangkok from 2028.

Yeoh said Malaysia is not shutting the door completely on having F1 races again, if any corporate entities were willing to shoulder the costs.

"We are open to this and can cooperate," she added.

"The Formula 1 is a very prestigious sporting event that is followed by many fans around the world.

"So if we could afford it, it's a good-to-have event in Malaysia."



Report: Brazil’s Militao Risks Missing World Cup with Hamstring Injury

Real Madrid defender Eder Militao (C) leaves the pitch during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 21 April 2026. (EPA)
Real Madrid defender Eder Militao (C) leaves the pitch during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 21 April 2026. (EPA)
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Report: Brazil’s Militao Risks Missing World Cup with Hamstring Injury

Real Madrid defender Eder Militao (C) leaves the pitch during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 21 April 2026. (EPA)
Real Madrid defender Eder Militao (C) leaves the pitch during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Real Madrid and Deportivo Alaves at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, 21 April 2026. (EPA)

Real Madrid's Brazil defender Eder Militao is at serious risk of missing the World Cup after suffering a hamstring injury, sources close to the club and the national team told Reuters.

Real confirmed in midweek that Militao felt a twinge in a challenge shortly before halftime ‌in Tuesday's ‌win against Alaves and ‌signaled ⁠straight away to be ⁠replaced.

While Real coach Alvaro Arbeloa initially struck an optimistic tone after the game, an MRI scan later revealed a muscle injury to the hamstring in Militao's left ⁠leg.

Spanish radio COPE first reported ‌it was a ‌recurrence of the injury he sustained ‌in December, which could require surgery ‌and rule him out of the World Cup, which starts in less than 50 days. Reuters has confirmed that ‌report with several sources.

The 28-year-old now faces an anxious wait. ⁠Sources ⁠told Reuters a final decision will be made and announced on Monday, when Militao undergoes a new series of examinations with Real's doctors to determine the next steps.

The latest blow marks another setback for the Brazilian center back, who has endured a succession of injuries in recent seasons, including ACL tears in back-to-back years.


Real Madrid’s Mbappe Suffers Hamstring Issue at Betis

 Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Betis v Real Madrid - Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain - April 24, 2026 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Betis v Real Madrid - Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain - April 24, 2026 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)
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Real Madrid’s Mbappe Suffers Hamstring Issue at Betis

 Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Betis v Real Madrid - Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain - April 24, 2026 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Betis v Real Madrid - Estadio de La Cartuja, Seville, Spain - April 24, 2026 Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe reacts. (Reuters)

Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe suffered a "muscle overload" in his left hamstring during the team's 1-1 draw at Real Betis in La Liga, a club source told AFP on Friday.

Mbappe asked to be substituted in the final 10 minutes of the game, which left his side eight points behind league leaders Barcelona.

The France captain's problem does not appear to be serious, pending further tests, easing any potential concerns ahead of the World Cup this summer.

"I have no idea (how Mbappe is), he had some discomfort and we will see how it develops in the coming days," said coach Alvaro Arbeloa when asked by reporters about the forward, Madrid's top goalscorer, after the game.

On Wednesday Barcelona's teenage winger Lamine Yamal suffered a hamstring injury which ruled him out until the end of the season, although he is expected to be fit to play at the World Cup for Spain.


Forest Blitz Sunderland to Close in on Premier League Safety

24 April 2026, United Kingdom, Sunderland: Nottingham Forest's Igor Jesus (C) celebrates scoring their side's fourth goal of the game with teammates during the English Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light. (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/dpa)
24 April 2026, United Kingdom, Sunderland: Nottingham Forest's Igor Jesus (C) celebrates scoring their side's fourth goal of the game with teammates during the English Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light. (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/dpa)
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Forest Blitz Sunderland to Close in on Premier League Safety

24 April 2026, United Kingdom, Sunderland: Nottingham Forest's Igor Jesus (C) celebrates scoring their side's fourth goal of the game with teammates during the English Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light. (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/dpa)
24 April 2026, United Kingdom, Sunderland: Nottingham Forest's Igor Jesus (C) celebrates scoring their side's fourth goal of the game with teammates during the English Premier League match between Sunderland and Nottingham Forest at the Stadium of Light. (Owen Humphreys/PA Wire/dpa)

Nottingham Forest smashed Sunderland 5-0 on Friday to pull eight points clear of the Premier League relegation zone, heaping extra pressure on struggling Tottenham.

The stunning result at the Stadium of Light effectively turns the battle to avoid the final relegation spot into a two-horse race between Spurs and West Ham, with Wolves and Burnley already doomed.

Vitor Pereira's Forest have found a rich vein of form at just the right time and are now unbeaten in six league games.

Sunderland enjoyed the bulk of possession in the early stages of an absorbing contest in the northeast of England, but the visitors looked consistently dangerous when they attacked.

Forest broke the deadlock in the 17th minute when Trai Hume deflected Igor Jesus' header into his own net, but that gave little indication of what was to follow in an extraordinary opening period.

Chris Wood doubled the lead in the 31st minute, finishing smartly after Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs gifted possession to the away side.

Morgan Gibbs-White volleyed home to make it 3-0 and three minutes later it was 4-0 when Jesus hammered home at the back post, leaving mid-table Sunderland shellshocked.

The home side battled harder in the second half. Dan Ballard nodded home on the hour mark, but the goal was ruled out for a foul by Nordi Mukiele.

But Forest largely remained in control and rubbed salt into Sunderland's wounds when Elliot Anderson passed the ball into the net to make it five in stoppage time.

The emphatic win takes Forest to 39 points and the brink of safety.

Pereira said his side were still not safe despite their impressive run.

"We are in a good moment," he told Sky Sports. "Because we created the spirit, we created the mentality.

"And tactically now, because we have more time working together, we are in a moment that we can face every game to get points."

The East Midlands club have had a turbulent season under four different permanent managers but could end the campaign on a real high -- with a Europa League semi-final against Aston Villa to come.

Attention now turns to Saturday's matches at the bottom of the table.

Tottenham, under new manager Roberto De Zerbi, travel to basement side Wolves at the same time as West Ham host Everton.

Spurs, who were last relegated in 1977, are on 31 points -- two behind the Hammers. Both teams have five matches left.