New CEO for Sepang International Circuit
Azhan Shafriman Hanif has taken over the CEO role at the Sepang International Circuit from Razlan Razali.
The change comes after an 11-year stint from Razali, whose tenure formally ended yesterday.
He's been immediately replaced by trained mechanical engineer Hanif, who is fresh out of the Head of Strategic Alliance role at Petronas.
"It is a great honour to be entrusted with this job," said Hanif.
"Razlan has left big shoes to fill, but I believe I can offer a unique perspective in this role, following my years at Petronas.
"With the world facing an unprecedented challenge due to the COVID-19 pandemic, having a strong footing in the commercial side of motorsports will be a good launching point for my tenure at SIC, while I gain a firmer grasp of the operations side of things.
"Nevertheless, in my previous role in Petronas, I have had the privilege to provide feedback to SIC on its facilities and amenities – thus offering another starting point for me at SIC while I familiarise myself with a hands-on role as CEO.”
Razali, meanwhile, will focus solely on his role as team principal for the Petronas Sepang Racing Team.
“It has been an amazing journey leading the Sepang International Circuit team," he said.
"What we have achieved in the past decade is truly a team effort – it would not have been possible without the full support and commitment of not just the team at SIC, but also from our partners and stakeholders.
"Although I will still be around as the team principal of Petronas Sepang Racing Team, I am definitely going to miss working alongside the SIC team. I wish them and the new CEO great success."
Legendary race broadcaster Varsha struck by coronavirus
New 2020 calendar in the works for Shannons Nationals
Rating the best drivers of the century so far
Autosport's Top 50 feature has been a staple of the magazine for the past two decades since its first appearance in 2002. Here are the drivers that have featured most prevalently during that time
The best motorsport moments of 2021
Motorsport produced one of its greatest years of all-time in 2021 despite a backdrop of ongoing COVID-19 challenges and an ever-changing racing landscape. Through the non-stop action Motorsport.com has collected the finest moments from the past 12 months to highlight the incredible drama and joy motorsport generates.
The racing comeback artists who resurrected long-dormant careers
Making it in motorsport can be tough, and sometimes drivers move elsewhere before their best chance arrives. Here are some of those who made it back
The one-time Schumacher rival rebooting his career Down Under
Joey Mawson made waves in the middle of the last decade, beating future Haas Formula 1 driver Mick Schumacher - among other highly-rated talents - to the 2016 German F4 title. A run in F1's feeder GP3 category only caused his career to stall, but now back in Australia Mawson's S5000 title success has set that to rights
Why Todt’s FIA successor could be cut from the same cloth
Jean Todt has signalled that he will not stand for re-election as FIA president. Mark Gallagher analyses the strong credentials of one potential successor…
The lesson football’s would-be wreckers could learn from racing
OPINION: The greed-driven push for a European Super League that threatened to tear football apart is collapsing at the seams. Motor racing's equivalent, the football-themed Superleague Formula series of 2008-11, was everything that the proposed ESL never could be.
The real-life racing rogues stranger than fiction
The forthcoming Netflix film linking the world of underworld crime and motorsport plays on a theme that isn't exactly new. Over the years, several shady figures have attempted to make it in racing before their dubious dealings caught up with them.
The cherished curios kept by motorsport's professionals at home
Keeping trophies and momentos of key triumphs is par for the course for motorsport professionals, but what are the most cherished souvenirs picked up by the drivers and engineers who have seen and done it all?