MALAYSIAN Prime Minister Dr Anwar Ibrahim attended the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix yesterday and joined thousands of fans who flocked to Sepang International Circuit (SIC) for the pre-weekend F1 pit lane walk.
Dr Anwar was accompanied by Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) chief executive officer Shaikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa as they made their way down the pit lane and saw the F1 teams up close in their garages.
Motorsport lovers of all ages from around the world packed the pit lane and were able to see and interact with a few of the top flight’s superstar drivers, including F1 world championship leader Kimi Antonelli, his Mercedes teammate George Russell, and Williams’ Carlos Sainz, among others.
The F1 pit lane walk is a tremendously popular fan-engagement activity held on the Thursdays of grand prix weekends to bring members of the public closer to the heart of the sport.
The stage is now set for three days of top-class racing and entertainment as the F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026 officially gets underway today.
Russell with a pair of F1 fans during the F1 pit lane walk
A packed schedule throughout this historic race weekend will see the kingdom’s motorsport experience, culture, and heritage take centre stage at Malaysia’s iconic racing facility.
The event will be the first F1 race in Malaysia for nearly a decade, with the country’s last grand prix held in 2017 when more than half the current grid had yet to make their F1 debut.
While the excitement for this year’s race is being felt by fans all over the world, Malaysia’s supporters are particularly thrilled. They are eager to once again experience motor racing’s biggest world championship contenders battling wheel-to-wheel on their home track, after watching from afar as the sport’s popularity skyrocketed to all-time highs over the past several years.
“We’re so excited because F1’s back here after nine years and we know it’s expensive but it’s nice to have a race back in Sepang,” local supporter Shumithira, who along with her friends missed out on tickets that had sold like hot cakes since their launch, told the GDN.
“For us Malaysians, we would definitely want to host F1 again, but we know – economy wise – that it may be too expensive. But we really hope the government will actually look into it further and see the revenues that are coming in based on this weekend, and then think it over and hopefully decide they want to see F1 back again in the future.”
Evy Fan and Sihui Xu have come all the way from China to be a part of the weekend’s experience.
“Malaysia is accessible for us to come, so we were super excited when they announced there would be a race again in Sepang after so many years,” Evy said.
“There are a lot of young drivers who have never been here before, so with two long straights, it’s going to be super exciting to see how they fare under the new regulations.”
Evy is hoping for an eventful and possibly wet grand prix on Sunday and is looking to be stunned by whoever emerges on the top step of the podium.
“We are hoping for rain, so it’s going to add to the excitement, and it will hopefully be a very chaotic race,” she said. “On Sunday, I would love for someone surprising to win.”
Aside from the racing, this year’s F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia has plenty to offer race-goers away from the track, headlined by the Bahrain Village in the SIC fan zone, which has been set up by the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority. The attraction offers visitors an experience highlighting aspects of Bahrain’s culture and heritage, including its music, cuisine, traditions and crafts.
The Bahrain Village will also showcase the kingdom’s contemporary character through the participation of local food and beverage brands, giving race-goers an opportunity to experience Bahraini flavours and the diversity of the kingdom’s culinary scene.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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