- 5 weeks ago
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Sepang International Circuit is taking on the mammoth challenge of preparing to host the
2026 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with just 2 and a half months notice. With race weekend just 40 plus days away, what is currently happening behind the scenes? Do we have what it takes to pull this off on such short notice? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Azhan Shafriman Hanif, CEO of Sepang International Circuit (SIC).
2026 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, with just 2 and a half months notice. With race weekend just 40 plus days away, what is currently happening behind the scenes? Do we have what it takes to pull this off on such short notice? On this episode of #ConsiderThis Melisa Idris speaks with Azhan Shafriman Hanif, CEO of Sepang International Circuit (SIC).
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00:10Hello and good evening. I'm Melissa Idris. Welcome to Consider This. This is the show
00:14where we want you to consider and reconsider what you know of the news of the day.
00:19Sepang International Circuit is taking on the mammoth challenge of preparing to host
00:24the 2026 Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia with just two and a half months notice.
00:31With race weekend now just 40 plus days away, what is currently happening behind the scenes?
00:38And do we have what it takes to pull this off with such little notice?
00:43Well, joining me on the show today, I have Azhan Shafriman Hanif, who is the CEO of Sepang International Circuit.
00:49Shafriman, thank you for being on the show with me during what I must imagine is a very busy time
00:54for you.
00:55I'd like to take you back a couple of months, maybe a couple of weeks, three weeks ago to be
01:00specific,
01:01when we first found out that Malaysia will be hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix.
01:06Can you take me back to when you first found out?
01:09When were you informed that Sepang was going to host the Bahrain Grand Prix?
01:15When did you get that confirmation? How much notice did you actually get?
01:19Well, not much. I mean, first of all, thank you for having me on the show.
01:25Well, I guess, you know, I mean, like everyone, I was very surprised that, you know,
01:31had this opportunity again to host Formula One in Malaysia.
01:34But this time around, it's not quite similar to what we did last time.
01:38Last time, we did about, what, 19 edition of Formula One in Sepang.
01:44It was known as the Malaysian Grand Prix.
01:47It was the Grand Prix that we hosted since 1999, right?
01:50But this time around, it is quite different.
01:53So I'd like everyone to know that this time around, it's the Formula One
01:57Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, 2026.
02:02Yeah.
02:03It's remarkable to say.
02:04It is, it is, it is, it is.
02:06And coming back to your question, yes.
02:07Well, I was in London at the point of time, we met up with the Formula One team and we
02:14were told that, you know, there's some movement going on between, you know, the two governments
02:19and we were informed at the point of time that, you know, nothing was confirmed just as yet.
02:26There were really, there's some due diligence that need to happen before we can say yes.
02:34But of course, you know, they designed a forward team here in Sepang to check whether, you know,
02:40if there's any red flags that is worth noting before we can decide.
02:46And of course, you know, right after that, the announcement happened and at the moment,
02:53we're quite busy trying to do what we do best.
02:58But this time around, it's shorter notice, like what you said earlier, right?
03:02We have less than two months to get this happen.
03:06And I'm really, really looking forward for this event to happen from the 2nd until 4th of October this year.
03:13So, is it true that this is the first time that this sort of arrangement has happened in Formula One
03:21history,
03:21that a country is hosting a Grand Prix on behalf of another country? Is that true?
03:26Well, I was told it was that. It's very unprecedented this time around.
03:32It's the first time that, you know, another country is hosting another Formula One in, you know, another country.
03:38But we are all looking forward to host the Bahrain team here in Malaysia.
03:47We're working quite closely to make things happen and so on.
03:50So, yeah, it's the first time.
03:52Well, if it is the first time, that essentially means that you don't have a playbook to base an arrangement
03:59after.
04:00So, you would have to, I guess, you know, this uncharted waters, you have to chart your own path.
04:05So, what happens then? Immediately after you get confirmation that, yes, Sepang will be hosting this Grand Prix.
04:10What then happens inside of SIC immediately after that confirmation?
04:15What are the first things that need to get moving?
04:18Right. Well, the first things first, you know, got to gather the team around and explain to them that this
04:24is happening
04:25and we need to work together with the Bahrain International Circuit.
04:29The team came over to the circuit to meet up with the team here and to have that connection, to
04:37have that understanding and so on.
04:38But, of course, the first couple of weeks, you know, we were busy sorting out the contracts between us and
04:44also Formula One
04:45and our contract also with the Bahrain International Circuit.
04:49So, that has been sorted.
04:52So, we move on to the phase of the sales, the ticket sales, which just opened last week.
04:58You know, well, there were some hiccups in there, but I think it's normal for the first time.
05:06That is happening between the two countries and so on, but we've sorted that issue out.
05:11And, of course, you know, the tickets sold like, you know, no one expected it to be
05:19because we were having problems selling tickets during the last time we had Formula One here back in 2017.
05:25Formula One has transformed itself from back then until now and it's now become a phenomenon.
05:31And there's a lot of followers, the purists, the non-motorsports, you know, followers and so on.
05:37And the younger generation right now, the kids and so on, they know more than what we know about Formula
05:43One.
05:43So, I'm really impressed of what Formula One has done for the sport.
05:49Right.
05:50Okay.
05:50So, I do want to talk a little bit about ticketing as well as the change in the demographics of
05:55the Formula One following.
05:56But can we just very quickly come back to why Serpang was chosen?
06:01I understand Turkey was also a real strong contender to get the race.
06:07And I wanted to know how much was it, so not just the calendar logistics of us being in Southeast
06:13Asia before the Singapore race,
06:15but how much of it was SIC's circuit readiness?
06:20Because if I'm not mistaken, Serpang has maintained its international safety and track certification.
06:27Is that right?
06:28So, how instrumental was that in allowing us to be able to host this Bahrain Grand Prix?
06:35Well, there are a few things that were considered before we were chosen.
06:39I think number one is in terms of our circuit homologation,
06:43which we maintained after 2017 on the Grade 1 FIA standards, right?
06:53So, that was one of the criteria before we were chosen.
06:58The other part was in terms of the logistics.
07:01So, to make the event happen, Azerbaijan, there's a gap in between, and then Singapore, right?
07:10I guess Malaysia was the most relevant choice for the race to happen.
07:19So, in terms of logistics, in terms of the proximity between Azerbaijan coming to somewhere before they go to Singapore,
07:28I think Malaysia was the choice from the start, right?
07:33So, of course, there were other circuits, they were in consideration as well.
07:38But I guess, you know, once all these checks happen,
07:42and in terms of the proximity, the timing, and so on,
07:47so Malaysia and Serpang make sense.
07:49Okay, so you are operating without a playbook.
07:54This is the first time this has happened.
07:55Can you walk us through what the role of SIC is?
08:00So, as host of the Bahrain Grand Prix, of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia,
08:09what is the role, what is exactly the role of SIC?
08:12Right.
08:13So, between Formula One and us, we are the promoter.
08:17We signed the promoter's contract for the event.
08:20But more or less, you know, in terms of the relationship between Bahrain International Circuit and us,
08:25they are the event owner, and we are the local partner to deliver the event.
08:32So, in between the three parties, Formula One holds the rights,
08:37the event owner is still the Bahrain International Circuit,
08:41and us as the host, as the venue host for the event.
08:46So, that's where the position of each part is.
08:50So, this essentially is a turnkey project.
08:53Can you get more specific in terms of,
08:55are you handling everything from operations and logistics and all of that?
08:59Is that also part of the cost that you will bear first,
09:03that will later be handled by Bahrain International Circuit?
09:06Right.
09:07Well, the cost that we'll be handling is more towards the protocol or the manual
09:13that Formula One gave us, right?
09:17So, bulk of the cost, the rights fee, and also all the logistics
09:21and everything is being handled by the Bahrain International Circuit.
09:26When it comes to Sepang, we need to ensure that the track readiness is there,
09:31the facilities are up to grade.
09:34So, all the other things that is being specified in the F1 manual,
09:38we will need to satisfy that.
09:41Okay.
09:42So, can you walk us through what is the biggest challenge
09:46or the biggest, the top thing on your to-do list right now for SIC?
09:51We've got less than two months till race weekend.
09:54What is happening in Sepang right now that maybe the public doesn't simply see?
09:59I can only imagine the kind of operations that go behind everything
10:03from, you know, logistics and staffing and security
10:07and the food and beverage concessions.
10:10Walk me through a little bit what you're working on right now.
10:13Well, top of my list right now is to ensure that the track is ready
10:18for the FIA inspection, which is coming in September, right?
10:22Apart from that, also, there are so many other requirements
10:25that we need to fulfill in terms of the manual and so on.
10:28So, the team is working around the clock to ensure this happens and so on.
10:34The other part that we're working closely with the Bahrain team
10:38is to ensure that all the sales products are up to date
10:45and ready to be sold.
10:47We've sorted out the tickets.
10:49The next thing that we need to do is, you know,
10:52to concentrate on all the other things like the hospitality,
10:56the trade and vending, the F&B that you mentioned earlier and so on.
11:01So, those are the things that we're looking at at the moment.
11:05Just to point out that, you know, all these things, you know,
11:08if we had ample time to do it, right, we would do it, you know,
11:13in the better manner.
11:14But, of course, you know, we can't change the date 2nd until 4th of October.
11:19It's still going to happen.
11:21So, I guess, you know, we're pulling our muscles and all the people involved
11:27from the government, from the Bahrain side of things,
11:32from the Formula One team and so on.
11:34And, of course, our team, we're pulling our muscles all together
11:38to pull this weight together as a team.
11:41We talked a little bit earlier about the ticketing hiccups.
11:45Tickets are on sale, but I understand the MyCard ticket allocation
11:50for locals have completely been sold out.
11:54Can we talk a little bit about, first of all, Shafrima,
11:56what happened with the, I guess, controversy of the leaked ticketing page?
12:02It came out, you know, and viral.
12:04It showed the ticketing prices.
12:05Was that, was that, talk to me about how SIC handled that
12:10or what you felt when you came across the viral photo.
12:14Well, there's so many things that we need to ensure, you know,
12:18that we plan it to happen, but it didn't happen that way and so on.
12:23Can't comment so much on the leak.
12:25But then again, I'm really glad that, you know,
12:29we've sorted the issue out.
12:32Heads off to the Bahrain International Circuit.
12:34I know, you know, it's not easy to handle ticketing and so on.
12:38The amount of people that came into the website,
12:42I don't know, so the ticketing system was phenomenal.
12:45There's so many people interested in buying the tickets and so on.
12:48So, but I guess, you know, rather than focusing on the problem,
12:53I think I have to give, you know, my heads off to the Bahrain team.
12:58Manage to sort that problem in less than 48 hours.
13:02You know, it's not easy to handle ticketing, but I guess, you know,
13:06the team did very well.
13:07Then right after they have sorted out the back end and also the bandwidth
13:13and the ticketing system was stable and able to cater for the rest of the customers.
13:22Right. So, the sold out special MyCard ticket allocation,
13:28what does that tell you about the demand, the Malaysian demand for Formula One?
13:33How quickly did it sell out and were there enough tickets that were kind of allocated
13:38for local audience?
13:40So, to be honest, we anticipated, you know, the high number of customers going for this
13:50MyCard tickets and everything.
13:51The allocation that we did in terms of, you know, how many people from Malaysia gets
13:57to purchase the tickets versus the international customers.
14:03We knew that the tickets were not enough.
14:08But of course, those are the things that, you know, we just need to proceed to sell the tickets.
14:15And I'm really glad.
14:16I mean, it's a good problem to have, right, to have the demand higher than the supply.
14:23But then again, you know, these are the things that's happening that I said earlier
14:27that Formula One back then, this is not the same like Formula One now.
14:32Okay. So, are you anticipating a sold out Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
14:37Well, looking at the numbers, I think it's going to be a sold out event.
14:42I do really wish that, you know, we had more seats and more tickets to sell.
14:48But of course, I think the priority right now is to get the facility and also the track
14:53up to what the Formula One standard is and ensure that the fans coming here
15:00get the value that they paid for.
15:03Are you concerned that the track might not be ready in time or ready up to the standards
15:08of the FIA?
15:10Well, I have full confidence in the team, both from Bahrain and also from SIC, right?
15:18So, we both have our strengths.
15:21Right now, we are, you know, we are preparing for the inspection and so on.
15:27But I guess, you know, there's no two ways about it.
15:31We need to get the track ready.
15:32If we need to do what we need to do, if we need to upgrade furthermore and everything
15:36to get it up to that standard, we will do it to ensure that the event happens.
15:40Is there a risk that you might not make the standard?
15:46Well, the risk has always been there.
15:49But, you know, I'm pretty sure, you know, within Formula One, FIA and also us and the Bahrainis,
15:55we will come to an agreement.
15:58You know, these are the standards that we need to really ensure.
16:02I think the most important thing is to ensure that the track is safe for the drivers.
16:07That's the most important thing.
16:09And I guess, you know, coming back to your question, whether there's a risk to it, of course,
16:14there's a risk.
16:14But the risk is being calculated and the risk is being managed by all these parties.
16:20Okay, all right.
16:21So you mentioned several times how Formula One has changed, how much Formula One has changed,
16:26particularly since Malaysia last hosted F1.
16:30So let's talk a little bit about that.
16:32From your perspective, how have you seen this sport, this industry?
16:38So everything from the cars to the rules to the business of the sport to the way people
16:41experience Formula One, how have you seen it change?
16:45Well, it all started, I think, when Formula One opened up the eyes of everyone that there's
16:50a lot of things that's happening behind the scene, right?
16:53When the Drive to Survive series first aired on Netflix and everything, people, their eyes
17:01will open that actually there's a lot of things that is happening behind the scene that, you
17:06know, is quite interesting.
17:07Of course, Formula One did a very tremendous job in promoting that to the youth.
17:14and so on.
17:15So I guess from those days until now, the people who have followed Formula One were from,
17:22you know, the age of 20 and above, but they managed to penetrate the people, the youth below
17:2820, below 18 to follow Formula One, which is the next generation of followers.
17:36And I guess, you know, with all the promotions, all the thing that's happening within the sport
17:43itself, the drama, the excitement and all the things that is happening right now, Formula One
17:50has opened up the market to a larger group of people.
17:54So, like what I said earlier, the kids right now, you know, from those days, you know, not
18:01following Formula One.
18:02Now they are following Formula One because, you know, they know more about the sport.
18:06They know more about what's happening behind the scene.
18:08I think that's very important in any sports to grow that fandom and to grow that, you know, following.
18:15Right.
18:16Okay.
18:16So, having said that, will that change the way, what you need to do as a circuit operator?
18:24Will it change the way you are approaching this as the event promoter?
18:28Are you now catering to a different kind of F1 fan?
18:32You know, someone who may be interested in the drivers, the personality, the entertainment,
18:37the experience of the entire F1 weekend as opposed to just the race itself?
18:43Well, I think we have been doing this for the last 25, 26 years.
18:50Formula One opened our eyes, you know, to look at the things that we have looked at for
18:56the last 25 years in a different manner, right?
19:00Rightly, like what you said, right?
19:01How do we how do we use the assets that we have right now to open up the market to
19:07larger group of people?
19:10But of course, all these things just couldn't happen overnight.
19:14I think what Formula One did was was quite phenomenal in terms of the partners,
19:21in terms of the drivers and teams and so on.
19:24Right.
19:24So I guess there's a lot of things that we can learn.
19:26And of course, you know, we have to open our eyes on our neighboring countries.
19:30You know, how Singapore Grand Prix is doing it for all these years and so on.
19:34There's many things that we can learn from them in terms of the ticketing, in terms of the partners,
19:39in terms of, you know, how Singapore operates as Singapore Inc. running the event.
19:46You know, there's there's so many things to be.
19:48Pretty sure that Malaysia, you know, can follow suit and then many things from from this.
19:53Yeah. Well, what do you like that Singapore's doing that you think we should do?
19:56Well, I think, you know, the curation of the of the fan experience on the things that, you know, that
20:05we can learn from social media listening.
20:08You know, there's a lot of views and there's a lot of, you know,
20:13KOLs up there talking about Formula One, you know, and I'm pretty sure that there are some truth to it.
20:20When when they say that, you know, these are the things that you need to improve.
20:23These are things that you need to look at and everything.
20:25So we should able to take feedback positively in terms of what we can improve.
20:31And I'm pretty sure that, you know, what what Singapore has done in the past few years, we can learn
20:37so many things from them
20:38and how they arrange themselves as a company and also as a country.
20:43I really liked it when you said you talked about the curation of the fan experience, because I do think
20:49that the modern Formula One fan is buying a ticket to not just experience the race,
20:56but to experience an entire weekend experience.
20:59So on that note, I do want to ask you, can you tell us anything about the plans for the
21:05off track entertainment for the Formula One weekend?
21:08What do we have to look forward to?
21:10Right. There's so many things that's going to happen during the week itself.
21:14I think the government and also the agencies under the ministries and so on is planning to do up a
21:23few activations in the town area and so on.
21:27But of course, the teams as well, Formula One teams is also doing some activations in the city and surrounding
21:36areas.
21:37So I do hope that, you know, I can give you further details, further updates on what is happening.
21:44But one thing for sure that, you know, Kuala Lumpur and also Malaysia will be, you know, the focus for
21:52the week.
21:53And hopefully we can show to everyone in the world that, you know, this is Malaysia that we are really
22:01hoping to deliver and for everyone to see.
22:05All right. So you mentioned a little bit earlier that there really will be a huge challenge in promoting with
22:11the short notice.
22:12So logistics aside, operations aside, it really is about getting the hype up with very little notice.
22:18Can you talk to me a little bit about that? In the lead up, we've got 40 odd days to
22:22the race weekend.
22:24What are you planning to really push to make sure that there is the build up of the hype towards
22:32the first weekend of October?
22:34And after that, after October, when you look back, what would you consider a successful event?
22:42What would success look like through the eyes of the SIC?
22:46Right. Well, I think in terms of the promotion, you know, the fans itself is helping us to do the
22:53promotion.
22:54There's a lot of, you know, talks and there's a lot of discussion that's happening on social media.
22:59It's happening on the media itself. You know, on that end, I think, you know, there's enough hype and there's
23:06enough, you know, shout outs already about the event and so on.
23:11But I guess, you know, coming to the second part of your question, what does look like to me, first
23:17things first, I would love to see everyone come here, experience Formula One differently than in the past and so
23:26on.
23:27And of course, with, you know, much more flavour of the Bahrain experience here, success also to me is basically
23:40everyone that comes here, they can come here in a very safe manner and go back safely as well.
23:47And of course, the overall event delivery that we deliver is basically something that, you know, we can leave this
23:57in the past and we look back that, hey, we did this with Bahrain and we did this with Formula
24:04One and we did this with the whole government moving together as one entity to deliver this monumental event.
24:13All right. Shafriman, thank you so much for being on the show with me today. I appreciate your time.
24:17That was Azhan Shafriman Hanif, who is the CEO of Sepang International Circuit.
24:22We will all be watching very closely to see how Formula One's return to Sepang unfolds and live coverage of
24:27the race will be available on BIN Sports on Astro.
24:32So that wraps up our conversation for this episode of Consider This.
24:35I'm Melissa Idris signing off for the evening. Thank you so much for watching and good night.
24:48We'll see you next time.
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