KUALA LUMPUR - MALAYSIA is preparing to introduce Formula One night racing from next year following its debut in neighbouring Singapore in September, officials said on Tuesday.

The Sepang International Circuit (SIC) now hosts a day-time race but the sport's governing body FIA has pushed for a change, to boost commercial revenues by appealing to audiences in other time zones.

'SIC is preparing itself to host a night race next year,' the circuit's spokesman Azahar Ghazali said.

'We are now studying a few proposals, especially from the contractor at the Qatar Grand Prix, which was very successful,' he said. Qatar hosted the first Moto GP night race in March.

'The system in Qatar looks workable for Sepang, but we still need to consider other factors involved especially the cost of hosting a night race,' he said.

Officials familiar with the project said the SIC would need to invest at least five million US dollars (S$6.9 million) to install lighting for night racing.

Singapore will host its debut Formula One Grand Prix on a street circuit on September 28, in an event it hopes will boost its tourism coffers by 100 million Singapore dollars a year.

Malaysia's three-day Formula One event begins on Friday.

Under a new contract signed last year, in which it agreed to be prepared for night racing, Malaysia will continue to host races until 2015. It held its first Grand Prix in 1999. -- AFP