TAMPIN: The Formula 1 (F1) Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will be hosted by Malaysia at a fraction of the cost previously incurred, with the multimillion-ringgit registration fee waived, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
The Prime Minister attributed the arrangement partly to the close relationship between Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia.
He said the government would only need to spend an estimated RM10mil to RM16mil on minor upgrades to the Sepang International Circuit ahead of the race.
“We will organise it without paying the registration fee to the Formula 1 company. It is free.
“Even if there is some expenditure, it will only be to slightly improve the racing track, which is currently being used for motor vehicles, motorcycles and other activities,” he said during the Semarak Kenegaraan programme at the Syed Sirajuddin army camp in Gemas.
He said Malaysia was also selected from among dozens of countries due to its peace and stability, efficient administration and strong infrastructure.
Anwar said his initial response when approached about staging the race was to prioritise pressing public concerns, including the cost of living, housing and other welfare issues.
Discussions were then held with Bahrain to reduce the fee, culminating in it being waived altogether, he added.
At another event, the Prime Minister teased the possibility of introducing more affordably priced tickets for the race.
He said the question was posed to him as tickets for the F1 races are expensive due to the event’s prestige.
“Some asked me, if there will be a Madani ticket? God willing. However, these tickets won’t be front row seats but perhaps those further from the track,” Anwar said during a session with state village development and security committee leaders.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said hosting the race will bring significant medium and long-term economic benefits to Malaysia.
He said the event would boost tourist arrivals, enhance the country’s global visibility, and attract future investments and world-class sporting events.
He said although Bahrain would bear the cost of hosting the race, Malaysia would reap substantial economic gains through increased international exposure and tourism.
The race would be watched by millions of viewers worldwide and reinforce the status of SIC as a world-class venue, he added.
“The economic impact goes beyond tourist arrivals, as the event will receive extensive global media coverage and reach billions of viewers worldwide. This will generate medium- and long-term benefits for the country,” he told reporters at an event.
