KUALA LUMPUR: After weathering the financial strain due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) is charting a new growth trajectory, anchored by land monetisation, strategic investments and expanded commercial offerings.
SIC chief executive officer (CEO) Azhan Shafriman Hanif said the circuit is finalising a 10-year long-term business plan to unlock the commercial potential of its 303-ha landbank.
“We only fully utilise about 50% of the land during international events. The rest sits idle most of the year. We want to change that by bringing in investors to develop hotels, motorsport facilities, vehicle storage, attractions and food and beverage outlets,” he told Bernama in an interview recently.
Azhan Shafriman, who took the helm in April 2020, said the early years of his leadership were marked by crisis management, as Covid-19 halted all large-scale events, which were the circuit’s core revenue driver.
In 2023, SIC turned profitable for the first time since the pandemic, with the return of international events like MotoGP.
“That year marked our turning point. In 2022, we had just six months to prepare for MotoGP after the borders reopened in April. But we pulled it off,” said Azhan Shafriman, noting that 2022 was his first MotoGP season since taking on his role as SIC’s CEO
Beyond motorsports, he envisions transforming Sepang into a lifestyle hub with improved amenities for both visitors and staff.
