Like the race at Albert Park, Malaysia's current GP contract expires in 2010.
But Sepang organisers have already received a draft of a five-year extension, which includes conditional clauses requiring Malaysia to floodlit the track near Kuala Lumpur.
"We are actually studying what kind of light that would be suitable, the security aspects - which will certainly be our top priority - and a few other things before anything can be firmed up," said Sepang chairman Mokhzani Mahathir, who explained that other upgrade works at the circuit are already in the pipeline.
The sentiment coming out of Australia, however, is vastly different, and worsened further on Wednesday when an auditor-general's report tabled in state parliament claimed that the benefits of the grand prix were now outweighed by the costs.
Victoria's deputy premier John Thwaites also suggested that the state government has not responded kindly to Bernie Ecclestone's pressure for a night race.
"He's trying to push the government in a particular way and the government's not prepared to just simply respond on the basis of being pushed," he insisted. (GMM)
