The Big Question: Is the return of Formula One to Malaysia a boon or bane for the Singapore night race?

SINGAPORE – For the first time since 2017, there will be two Formula One races in South-east Asia within a span of a few days.

F1 action will return to the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) after nine years, as Malaysia was chosen to host the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix owing to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

The race will be held as part of an Asian triple-header starting with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from Sept 24-26, followed by the Oct 2-4 Malaysia event and the Oct 9-11 Singapore night race.

With the two races so close together, there could be concerns that Malaysia’s return – even if only for this year – could draw fans and tourists away from Singapore.

But experts The Straits Times spoke with believe the two Grands Prix could instead complement each other.

Veteran Singaporean professional racing driver Ringo Chong said: “I see it as more of a benefit than a disadvantage – Singapore and Sepang offer very different but complementary experiences.

“Singapore is defined by its city setting, night race atmosphere and entertainment offering, while Sepang is a classic circuit that delivers strong, pure racing.

“Together, they strengthen South-east Asia’s position as a key F1 destination.”

Different experiences and audiences

The race at SIC, which hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017, will be held at a permanent circuit and is seen as a pure racing event.

Singapore, on the other hand, has built the Grand Prix around the city itself.

The temporary street circuit winds through the heart of the Republic, with the race taking place at night and a three-day entertainment programme running alongside the F1 action.

Since its inception in 2008, world-renowned acts such as Elton John, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rihanna have performed at the event.

If anything, experts believe there could be more opportunities for fans in Singapore and South-east Asia to experience F1.

Media consultant Ian De Cotta, who wrote the book Singapore Grand Prix: 50 Years in the Making, said: “The return of the F1 race to Malaysia will, ironically, offer more Singapore and South-east Asian racing fans an affordable opportunity to watch the F1 race at Sepang, especially for those who can’t afford to catch the Grand Prix in Singapore because of its costly ticket prices.”

While the tickets for the Malaysia race have yet to go on sale, The Star reported that the Bahrain government will determine the prices.

The average price of F1 tickets for the 2026 Bahrain race before it was relocated was US$296 (S$379), the second cheapest out of the 24 races originally planned for this season according to GP Destinations, an online travel resource and guide platform dedicated to F1 fans.

Singapore, meanwhile, is the sixth-most expensive, with an average ticket price of US$760.

However, De Cotta said the difference in prices is unlikely to affect Singapore’s attendance because the demographics of the two races differ.

He described the Singapore audience as the “upper-tier market” in the Republic, as well as high-spending tourists from the region, including Australia, and to a limited extent, Europe.

There is another new draw for Singapore in 2026, with the sprint race set to feature for the first time at the Marina Bay Street Circuit.

The experience in 2016 and 2017, when both races last appeared together on the calendar, also offers some reassurance.

Malaysia and Singapore hosted back-to-back Grands Prix in 2016 and 2017, although the sequence was reversed, with Singapore coming before Malaysia.

Despite a considerable difference in ticket prices, attendance at the Singapore race remained strong.

De Cotta noted that the cheapest ticket prices at Sepang were seven times lower, while grandstand tickets were up to four times less than they were in Singapore when both countries hosted F1.

At Malaysia’s final F1 edition in 2017, 110,604 spectators turned up at the 120,000-capacity SIC over three days, a 31.9 per cent increase from the previous year.

In comparison, the 2017 Singapore race drew a crowd of 260,400, up from 219,000 in 2016.

A chance to catch both races

For fans, the close scheduling may make attending both races more attractive.

Nanyang Polytechnic adjunct lecturer Navin Nambiar, whose background is in sports management, public relations, event management and education, said it could be a “dream come true” for the majority of fans.

He said: “Travelling-wise, it’s just next to each other... If you’ve already come for the Malaysia race and you know Singapore is just a couple of days later, why not just kill two birds with one stone?

“There’s a high possibility that there’s spillover and Singapore may benefit from the fact that it’s being held in Malaysia.”

There has been no shortage of interest in Malaysia.

ST had reported earlier that within hours of July’s announcement that the SIC would be the replacement venue for the Bahrain Grand Prix, hotels near the circuit were fully booked for the F1 weekend despite a spike in room prices.

Homestay operators across Sepang also reported a surge in inquiries from Malaysians and overseas visitors looking for accommodation during race week.

Tourism Selangor chief executive Chua Yee Ling told ST then that the race presented a major opportunity for the state, with increased spending expected across hotels, restaurants, retail outlets, transport services and local attractions.

To capitalise on the influx of visitors, the government has directed Tourism Malaysia to organise an official F1 carnival alongside the Sepang race, reported The Star.

The Star article also said that regional neighbours – including Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand – have already expressed strong interest in taking tour groups to Malaysia for the event.

Mack Ferguson, 35, is one fan in Singapore who intends to attend both races.

He had never watched the Malaysian Grand Prix in person before, and after hearing that Sepang is a good circuit for watching F1, he wanted to experience it for himself.

As a Dutchman, Ferguson was also attracted by the prospect of watching Red Bull’s four-time world champion Max Verstappen race there, as well as by the fact that Sepang is a daytime race.

“The circuit and the racing are the main things. Compared with Singapore, Sepang generally has more overtaking, which makes it more interesting to watch in person,” said Ferguson, who has attended the Singapore and Shanghai Grands Prix.

“I also expect the tickets to be more affordable than Singapore’s, so that’s another factor.”

While he acknowledged that the two races could compete for some of the same fans, particularly those living in Singapore and Malaysia, the different experiences they offer were precisely why he wanted to attend both rather than choose one over the other.

Where Singapore could lose out

The potential downside for Singapore, however, could be in terms of sponsorship opportunities, said Nanyang Polytechnic’s Navin.

With two races in South-east Asia, sponsors targeting fans in the region would have to consider where to place their marketing budgets, making costs an important factor.

He said: “That’s where I see that Singapore may lose out because... it may be significantly cheaper to advertise in Malaysia compared with Singapore and I would be wondering whether I should put all my budget into Singapore or split it between the two.

“They have to do it right now – the window is very short and those companies that act fast and now will benefit the most.”

But there may be an opportunity for the two countries to turn that competition into collaboration.

Oon Jin Teik, former chief executive of the Singapore Sports Hub and Singapore Sports Council – now known as The Kallang and Sport Singapore respectively – feels both races could be marketed together as “two races, two vibes, one region”.

The former national swimmer said: “Develop package deals, partner with Tourism Malaysia.

“Turn a threat into a ‘South-east Asia F1 Fortnight’ and innovate the Singapore F1 edition to embrace this new positioning.”

A one-off or a return to the calendar?

For all the excitement surrounding Sepang’s return, there is an important caveat: This is, for now, a one-off.

Malaysia is stepping in to fulfil Bahrain’s obligations on the 2026 F1 calendar and whether this temporary arrangement opens the door for a permanent return will depend on the government’s willingness to bear the costs of hosting a race, said De Cotta.

In a report by The Star, SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif revealed that Bahrain is paying the F1 hosting rights fee for the upcoming race, which is estimated to cost between US$70 million and US$80 million.

The escalating costs were a major reason why Malaysia stopped hosting the race after 2017 – a year earlier than originally planned – with then-Prime Minister Najib Razak citing rising costs and falling ticket sales.

Nazri Aziz, the Tourism and Culture Minister at the time, said Malaysia spent RM300 million (S$94 million) annually to host the race but received no return on its investment.

De Cotta said: “The commercial rights progressively ballooned from US$12 million for the first race in 1999 to about US$35 million in 2017.

“Now the cost can reach US$55 million, which is the price tag for Saudi Arabia, the newest venue (Singapore now pays about US$35 million).

“This was one of the biggest bugbears that forced Malaysia to stop hosting the race in 2018.”