KUALA LUMPUR – F1 fever has officially taken over Sepang! Thousands of motorsport fans flooded into the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) today, as the roar of Formula 1 returned to Malaysian soil after a nine-year hiatus.
Checks on the ground at 11 am saw a relentless stream of spectators pouring into the complex ahead of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for a 3 pm lights-out.
Unlike the grueling delays and chaotic bottlenecks that plagued racegoers earlier in the week, crowd movement today ran markedly smoother—thanks to an urgent injection of extra shuttle buses and dedicated traffic marshals.
Lawyer Thariq Abdullah, 56, who made the trek from Puchong with his wife and son, praised the drastic turnaround in transit efficiency from KLIA Terminal 2.
“Much better today. Friday was quite chaotic, but today looks better as there are more buses and marshals,” he said.
A veteran of past F1 and MotoGP races at Sepang, Thariq cautioned that the real test lies in managing the massive exodus once the chequered flag drops.
“I hope the situation can be maintained, especially when spectators leave the circuit after the race, as problems usually occur on the return journey when many people leave at the same time,” he pointed out.
“Malaysia has not hosted it for a long time, so people are excited. There may be a generation who have never experienced this atmosphere before, and they are here to enjoy it,” he added.
To keep the massive crowds moving, free shuttle bus routes are running continuously from major hubs including KLIA Terminal 2, Mitsui Outlet Park, Sepang, and Bandar Baru Enstek in Nilai.
Organisers also moved to tackle the blistering Sepang heat, racing to install dedicated drinking water stations near the main SIC entrance bus stop.
Hope Huan Hee Keng, assistant manager of a contracting firm on-site, confirmed the water stations were rushed in to ensure fans could stay hydrated while waiting for transit under the scorching afternoon sun. – October 4, 2026