The involvement of PETRONAS in motorsports dates back to the late 1980s as an avenue for the company to grow its business in the domestic market. As the business grew, so did its involvement with F1 in 1995. The growth of the PETRONAS motorsport portfolio in Malaysia, regionally and internationally, led to the formation of PETRONAS Motorsports in 1998 with the intention of promoting the sporting, business and international brand association with motorsports.