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The Sepang circuit chief has announced that "all ticket revenue will go to Bahrain" as the track prepares for its return to the Formula 1 calendar in October.
Last weekend, the FIA confirmed that the canceled Bahrain Grand Prix would be rescheduled for the weekend of October 2-4, but would take place 6,000 km away at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit. The Bahrain race was originally slated for April but was called off due to the conflict in Iran.
With the conflict still ongoing, the decision was made to host the race at Sepang, but under the banner of the Bahrain Grand Prix. This marks Sepang's first appearance on the Formula 1 calendar since 2017, though it won't officially be recognized as the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Sepang CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif stated that the circuit would have no control over ticket pricing, nor would it receive any revenue from ticket sales.
"All ticket revenue will go back to Bahrain, so we don't have absolute authority to determine certain things," Azhan said during a media session at Sepang on Tuesday. "I will do my best to negotiate a special price, perhaps a price for Malaysians with a MyKad [identity card]."
Sepang will share operational costs with the Bahrain Grand Prix organizers, with the latter covering the Formula 1 hosting fee. Azhan clarified that the operational expenses for the event, including track preparation, would amount to approximately $13 million.
Despite Bahrain benefiting financially from the event, Azhan believes the boost to the Malaysian economy from Formula 1's return fully justifies Sepang's role as host.
"Looking at the bigger picture, we also need to consider the spillover effect. According to reports from countries that host Formula 1, they can gain more than three times the value. This means Malaysia has the potential to generate over 1 billion ringgit [$244 million] in economic impact. In the past, we had to work hard to sell tickets. Today, Formula 1 has built a huge global fanbase and created a sense of not-to-be-missed. Immediately after the announcement, we received inquiries for sponsorships, festivals, and commercial activities," Azhan said.
According to Azhan, a Formula 1 delegation has already conducted an on-site inspection and confirmed that the track meets the necessary standards to host the race. Nevertheless, some work on safety zones and general infrastructure is being carried out ahead of the October event.
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