{
  "id": 12157568,
  "title": "Bahrain GP transport chaos should have been anticipated, says Shahril",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/bahrain-gp-transport-chaos-should-have-been-anticipated-says-shahril",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-05T12:58:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/10/05/bahrain-gp-transport-chaos-should-have-been-anticipated-says-shahril"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Racing enthusiasts faced significant transportation issues while awaiting shuttle buses to reach parking areas and transport hubs during the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, claims Shahril Hamdan. The former Umno information chief contended that the authorities should have foreseen this predicament, considering that Malaysia was merely hosting the event, whereas the Bahrain International Circuit was organizing it. However, he emphasized that the negative experience would reflect poorly on Malaysia, as international visitors would associate it with the country. Hamdan expressed frustration over the authorities' inability to anticipate the issue, stating that it tarnished Malaysia's image. This marks the first time the F1 race was held at Sepang since 2017, after it was canceled due to escalating expenses and dwindling returns. The venue faced criticism for congestion and lengthy waits for shuttle buses at parking areas and nearby transport hubs. Fans also complained about delays entering and leaving the circuit, with one social media user specifically mentioning people walking along a highway emergency lane during the wait. While Zaidel Baharuddin, deputy president of Muda, suggested it was premature to assign blame, he acknowledged that the three-day GP drew crowds exceeding 200,000 racing enthusiasts. The Bahrain International Circuit chief executive, Sheikh Salman Isa Al Khalifa, revealed that a record 261,000 spectators attended the event, with 103,000 present at the final race on Sunday.",
  "summary": "The former Umno information chief says although Malaysia was only hosting the race at the Sepang International Circuit, it would still be associated with the mess.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Bahrain GP transport chaos should have been anticipated, says Shahril",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/05/bahrain-gp-transport-chaos-should-have-been-anticipated-says-shahril-12162975",
        "published": "2026-10-05T12:58:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}