By Amiril Muttaqien Meketar
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 7 (Bernama) -- Absolute cinema.
That is probably the best way to describe the Formula 1 (F1) Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix (GP) in Malaysia 2026, which was held from Oct 2-4.
But beyond the drama, the rain, the roaring engines and the record-breaking 261,000 spectators who packed the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) over three days, the weekend answered one important question:
Sepang can still host an F1 race.
Nine years after the Malaysian GP was last held, SIC once again became the centre of the motorsports world.
The grandstands were packed. The atmosphere was electric. Fans came from Malaysia and around the world, filling the circuit with team colours, flags and an enthusiasm that had clearly survived the nine-year absence.
Even Negaraku seemed to carry a different weight.
As the national anthem ended, a thunderous cheer swept around the circuit.
For a moment, it was not about Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren or Red Bull Racing. It was about Malaysia.
And then came the rain.
When it rains, it pours.
The heavens opened before the race, soaking thousands of fans in the grandstands and hillstands.
Umbrellas went up. Raincoats came out. Some fans were completely drenched but they stayed.
Even Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim was seen braving the rain before the race.
A Mexican wave swept through the grandstands as fans waited, while cheers erupted whenever their favourite drivers appeared on the big screens.
They had waited nine years. What was another 93 minutes?
The scheduled 3 pm start was delayed by heavy rain and standing water on the iconic Malaysian circuit.
Then came another unexpected twist.
Several cars suffered an unintended loss of power during the formation lap, including those of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton from Ferrari and Haas Formula 1 Team’s Esteban Ocon.
It was chaotic, unusual and in a strange way, it was quintessentially Sepang.
Once the lights finally went out, the circuit delivered the kind of race it has become famous for.
Changing grip, tyre gambles, unpredictability and drama.
Red Bull Racing driver and four-time world champion Max Verstappen emerged victorious, claiming his maiden win of the season and his 72nd career F1 victory at the same circuit where he won the last Malaysian GP in 2017.
Then came Hamilton's comeback.
Starting second, Hamilton dropped as low as 17th after Ferrari opted for soft slick tyres in the wet conditions but he fought back.
With two laps remaining, he overtook Verstappen’s teammate Isack Hadjar to secure third place, prompting another deafening roar from the crowd.
Hamilton himself could feel the difference.
“Well, I mean, listen to this crowd. This is, I think this is the biggest crowd we've ever seen here, at least in my time of driving. But I love this energy. Big, big thank you to Malaysia for welcoming us,” he said.
That quote perhaps said more about Sepang than any statistic could.
F1 drivers know what a good circuit feels like and the fans know what a good F1 weekend feels like.
Sepang delivered both.
Off the track, the Bahrain GP also became a cultural exchange, with fans experiencing a taste of Bahraini heritage, hospitality and cuisine through dedicated pavilions and displays.
Bahrain International Circuit personnel and marshals also embraced the occasion, with members of the team celebrating and dancing after the race.
For three days, Sepang was not simply hosting Bahrain's race. It was hosting the world.
That is why the conversation about bringing F1 back to Malaysia should perhaps begin from a different starting point.
Not whether Sepang is capable. It has already shown that it is.
The question is how Malaysia can make it work because hosting F1 comes with a price.
Government support, commercial rights, logistics, infrastructure and operational costs all have to be considered but there is another side to the equation.
The Bahrain GP in Malaysia 2026 was reported to have the potential to generate more than RM1 billion in economic spillover for Malaysia.
The benefits extend far beyond SIC as hotels, restaurants, airlines, transport operators, retailers and tourism-related businesses all stand to gain when tens of thousands of visitors arrive for the race.
That is the real value of F1.
The race lasts a few hours but the economic activity lasts much longer.
So perhaps Malaysia should not look at F1 simply as an expensive sporting event but as a platform for tourism, business and international exposure.
If the cost of a long-term commitment remains a concern, perhaps there are other ways forward.
Why not explore a shorter two-year arrangement, similar to Formula 1's agreement with Portimao Circuit in Portugal for 2027 and 2028?
That would give Malaysia, SIC and potential partners an opportunity to assess the commercial returns before committing to a longer deal.
Or perhaps Malaysia could think even bigger.
What about a Southeast Asian rotation?
One year Malaysia, the next Singapore or Thailand.
Singapore already has its established night race, while Thailand has expressed interest in hosting F1 as early as 2028.
Rather than viewing one another purely as competitors, could Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand explore a model that keeps F1 in Southeast Asia every year while sharing the financial and organisational burden?
There is already a precedent for such a model, with Formula 1 set to alternate its races in Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium from 2027 until 2032.
The point is that there are options.
What needs to be worked out now is the business model and there is still work to do.
The congestion during the race weekend showed that transport and crowd management needs to improve if Malaysia wants to host F1 on a permanent basis.
That experience should be part of the learning process because hosting F1 is no longer simply about having a world-class circuit.
It is about the entire experience from the moment fans leave home until they return.
Sepang has the amazing track. Malaysia has the fans. The 261,000 attendance has already proved that.
Nine years after F1 left, the sport came back and for one unforgettable weekend, Sepang reminded everyone exactly what it had been missing.
-- BERNAMA