KUALA LUMPUR – A staggering crowd of 182,000 racing enthusiasts thronged the Petronas Sepang International Circuit (SIC) over the three days of action during the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix (MotoGP) which ended yesterday, exceeding initial expectations.
The track’s chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif said the event surpassed last year’s attendance of 163,000, marking a triumphant return after a two-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I expected the turnout to be the same as last year but I’m grateful that we surpassed it this year.
“As Dorna announced, a total of 182,000 racing fans came to watch the action over the three days and I would like to thank all of those who bought tickets and came to the circuit,” he told reporters.
While highlighting the overall success of the event, Azhan acknowledged that, as with any large-scale production, there are areas that can be enhanced.
Despite commendable efforts by the police to manage traffic outside the circuit, he recognised room for improvement.
Feedback from the International Motorcycling Federation and Dorna indicated certain aspects of the circuit that require attention.
“Mainly the run-off area needs to be improved, and some riders gave us feedback about a few turns on the circuit.
“They had some issues on Turn 9 and 7. The riders complained about bumps on Turn 7. We have taken all of this feedback in and will make the necessary improvements,” added Azhan.
Azhan also hopes the improvement can be done before the official MotoGP preseason test next year.
“We will sit down with the contractors and discuss how we can improve the circuit to make it better.
“I hope we can make the necessary upgrades before the official shakedown test next year,” he said. – November 13, 2023