Malaysia Weighs Permanent F1 Return at Sepang as Minister Cites $233M Windfall

Malaysia is weighing a permanent return to the Formula 1 calendar. Youth and Sports Minister Mohammed Taufiq Johari told parliament on Thursday that the government is assessing the costs and economic benefits of bringing a grand prix back to the Sepang circuit, either every year or once every few years in partnership with another country. Johari said an assessment report is expected to be submitted to cabinet by November. He was candid about the economics: "Staging F1 is not cheap. It involves quite substantial costs, and there are several important aspects that we need to assess." Still, he noted that this month's one-off race — staged at Sepang after Bahrain's round was relocated due to Middle East tensions — is estimated to have generated around 950 million ringgit, roughly $233 million, in economic returns. Sepang hosted a Formula 1 round annually from 1999 to 2017 before being dropped amid declining ticket sales and rising hosting costs. Its successful emergency return earlier this month has clearly reopened the conversation in Kuala Lumpur. The government must now weigh whether annual hosting could replicate this month's returns and whether the circuit's infrastructure is ready for a long-term commitment. Any decision would reshape a calendar already in flux, with the season's final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi under scrutiny amid the regional security situation.