Talks between Malaysia and Formula One on restoring the Malaysian Grand Prix to the race calendar as a standing event are under way, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim disclosed on Sunday, a development that follows renewed interest from fans and commentators after that weekend's Sepang race.
In a Facebook post, Anwar noted that a conversation with Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali, held on the margins of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix — staged at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit as a standalone event — touched on the possibility of bringing the Malaysian Grand Prix back as a fixed entry on the Formula One calendar. He cautioned that any such move would take time given the tightly packed scheduling and existing contractual obligations already in place with host nations.
The Bahrain Grand Prix, originally scheduled for April, was moved to Malaysia after armed conflict involving Iran rendered the Middle Eastern venue unavailable.
The Sepang circuit served as home to the Malaysian Grand Prix across an 18-year stretch running from 1999 through 2017, until financial pressures — namely mounting costs and licensing fees — led organisers to withdraw the event from the calendar.
The prime minister indicated that Cabinet members would take up the question of a potential return of the race, weighing both the country's capacity to stage the event and the broader benefits it might bring to the economy and the public. Anwar noted that the plan had yet to move beyond its opening phase.
A Sepang International Circuit representative, speaking to local media at an earlier point, put the annual price of a permanent Formula One calendar berth at RM300 million (US$73.3 million). Bahrain absorbed the financial burden of hosting that weekend's race, whereas Malaysia channelled between RM10 million and RM16 million into its own preparatory work.
The FIA, which oversees Formula One, outlined that any bid by Malaysia to host the race on a lasting basis would require a structured plan spanning at least five years, addressing commercial arrangements, promotional activity, and the logistical demands of staging the event. The federation also noted that both the investment and the circuit itself stand at a strong level.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, speaking at a Sunday media roundtable, described the relationship with Formula One Management as open and constructive, adding that any prospective entrant presenting a business plan spanning at least five years would receive the federation's backing. Before any hosting commitment could be made, Sulayem noted, Malaysia would need to weigh whether staging the race served the country's broader interests and fitted within its economic and tourism frameworks.
Attendance at Sepang broke previous records over the weekend, with logistical concerns around passenger transport and crowd handling drawing notice. Attendees reported extended waits for shuttle buses and inadequate crowd management, with a number of people choosing to leave on foot via main roads and motorways, covering several kilometres in the process.
Responding to passenger complaints on Saturday, Sepang International Circuit said it was coordinating with transport operators and relevant authorities to improve traffic flow, shuttle bus operations, and crowd management procedures.
On the track, Max Verstappen, driving for Red Bull, took the chequered flag on Sunday, with Mercedes driver Antonelli crossing the line in the runner-up position. Starting 18th on the grid, Lewis Hamilton worked his way through the field to stand on the podium in third place for Ferrari.
Attendance at the Sepang International Circuit climbed past 261,000 across the race weekend, according to broadcaster reports — a figure that more than doubled the 126,690 fans who had filled the venue for the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix, itself the previous high-water mark for the facility.
