Throughout the years, SIC saw various memorable events, such as Kimi Raikkonen’s first claim of F1 victory and Lewis Hamilton’s infamous meltdown following an engine failure in 2016. However, after almost two decades, Malaysia hosted its last F1 world championship in 2017.
For all its glamour, hosting a Formula One (F1) event is not necessarily profitable for an industry pulling in so much cash. Just ask Malaysia.
In 1999, Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit (SIC) was officially inaugurated with much fanfare. The circuit was the brainchild of motorsport enthusiast and Malaysia’s fourth prime minister at that time, Mahathir Mohamad. It was dubbed the “crown jewel of Malaysian motorsports” and touted as the world’s best F1 facility, which cost RM286 million to build.
