KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia’s Formula 1 comeback is shaping up to be a major draw, with ticket sales for the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) already closing in on the 100,000 mark.
SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif said around 95,000 three-day passes had been sold for the Oct 2-4 race weekend, with the circuit confident of reaching the six-figure mark before the event gets underway.
The strong response marks a major return for F1 in Malaysia, which is staging a race for the first time since the Malaysian Grand Prix was dropped from the calendar in 2017.
“We are confident that the number will reach 100,000. Looking at all the different races that F1 has done this year, the numbers have been phenomenal.
“We believe that the experience we have created here with Bahrain will be a spectacular one,” he told Scoop when contacted.
Azhan said the scale of demand had surpassed ticket sales recorded during the Malaysian Grand Prix’s previous years, when crowds typically numbered between 40,000 and 50,000.
“But this time around it’s unprecedented. We have seen the strength of two powerful countries working together. It’s a one-off event, so I think it’s a pull for everyone,” he said.
The Malaysian GP’s highest attendance came in 2008, when 126,690 spectators attended the three-day event at SIC in its 10th year.
Unlike previous Malaysian GP editions, tickets for this year’s Gulf Air Bahrain GP are being sold exclusively as three-day passes, with no single-day tickets available.
International fans have also played a major role in driving demand, accounting for half of the tickets sold so far.
“We have seen from the ticket buyers that 50 per cent are from overseas. This is good for us. The more tourists come over and spend, the better it is for the economy,” Azhan said.
With the race just days away, SIC is also undergoing extensive preparations to meet the operational demands of hosting an F1 event, including major upgrades to its paddock facilities.
Azhan said the sheer scale of the operation had presented a significant logistical challenge, particularly with the volume of Formula 1 freight arriving at the circuit.
He estimated that the volume of F1 cargo was four to five times greater than what SIC typically handles for MotoGP.
Beyond the racing itself, Azhan said the entertainment programme put together by Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) would add another dimension to the race-weekend experience.
“I’ve seen the list of entertainers that Bahrain has brought here, and I’m blown away. I’m pretty sure the people who have bought tickets will get their value back when they come here,” he said.
BIC has confirmed Grammy-nominated DJ and producer Axwell will perform at SIC on Saturday, Oct 3, while multi-platinum-selling artist Martin Garrix will headline the post-race concert on Sunday, Oct 4.
BIC chief executive Sheikh Salman Isa Al Khalifa was reported as saying that the influx of international visitors was expected to generate economic benefits beyond SIC, particularly for Malaysia’s hospitality, food and transport sectors.
He was also reported as saying that the race was expected to generate around US$240 million (RM979 million) in economic impact for Malaysia, highlighting the wider commercial and tourism value of bringing Formula 1 back to Sepang.
Formula 1 confirmed in July that Malaysia would host the Gulf Air Bahrain GP after an agreement was reached between Formula 1, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain.
The agreement enabled the Bahrain GP to remain on the 2026 F1 calendar after the original race was cancelled earlier this season amid geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Malaysia previously hosted its own F1 race at Sepang from 1999 to 2017, before the Malaysian GP was removed from the calendar. – September 29, 2026