Malaysian F1 fans vent fury over sales process, organisers cite ‘high traffic’

Malaysian Formula One fans are expressing frustration over ticketing issues for the sport's one-time return to Sepang International Circuit after nearly a decade. The Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for October 2-4, originally had tickets going on sale on Thursday, causing confusion and frustration among local fans eager to attend their first F1 race since 2017.

The event's relocation from Sakhir, due to security concerns, also saw the Jeddah Grand Prix canceled. Ticket prices for Malaysian nationals range from US$48 to US$510, while international spectators pay between US$218.90 and US$566.05. However, fans have complained about the complex sales process, with some reporting broken links and sales confusion.

Social media users have warned about scams and resellers offering tickets at inflated prices, urging fans to buy only from official websites. One fan reported an error notification when attempting to complete a payment, questioning whether the payment went through. Some fans have also questioned why there was no official announcement about ticket sales, leading to confusion among those who would prefer to purchase through official channels.

The Sepang International Circuit told This Week in Asia that ticket sales would be managed through the Bahrain GP's official website, with a portion of the sales listed on the F1 official site. Ticket sales have not been officially launched yet, and users can register their interest on Friday. The website is experiencing high traffic, and officials are working to resolve the issue.

Malaysia previously hosted F1 for 19 seasons, but the government stopped funding the Malaysian Grand Prix due to declining ticket sales. The government cited high hosting costs and track maintenance expenses, while Bahrain will bear the F1 hosting rights fees and retain ticket proceeds.