A record crowd has revived Malaysia's hopes of reclaiming a permanent place on the Formula One calendar. But a successful race weekend is not the same as a sound long-term investment, and the government must establish which economic gains are real before committing public money.
The feasibility study weighs economic impact, hosting costs and return on investment before any long-term commitment.
A record 261,000 admissions over the race weekend demonstrated the depth of demand for Formula One in Malaysia. A permanent return, however, would require a financing and logistics model very different from the exceptional arrangement that brought the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix to Sepang.
Cars lost power during the formation lap, forcing officials to halt the start procedure and distribute an emergency software update.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants the cabinet to examine a permanent return. A crowded racing schedule and the cost of hosting remain obstacles despite strong attendance at Sepang.
Nine gold medals matched Malaysia's Guangzhou tally, but athletics, swimming, archery and shooting finished without a medal.
Kimi Antonelli finishes second, Lewis Hamilton fights back onto the podium and George Russell encounters late car trouble on Formula One's return to Malaysia.
A final setup change before qualifying put Hamilton just 0.298 seconds behind Verstappen, but tyre life in the Sepang heat will decide whether that speed lasts 56 laps.
India scored three goals from penalty corners in their 5-1 win in the Asian Games final, exposing a weakness that coach Brendon Carolan said had dogged Malaysia throughout the tournament.
Hamilton won at the Malaysian circuit in 2014 and Verstappen in 2017. Their return to the front row sets up a contest shaped by heat and tyre management.
Fans described a more orderly service on Saturday but called for more buses and clearer directions before Sunday's race.
The couple drove from Sungai Buloh before dawn and used a motorised bicycle for the final stretch, after shuttle delays disrupted some spectators' journeys home on Formula One's opening day.
Nearly 100,000 tickets have been sold for the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, roughly double the sales of the Malaysian Grand Prix era, with half the buyers from abroad.
Nine years after his last appearance at Sepang with Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton has returned to a circuit he considers one of Formula One's best, this time as a Ferrari driver and third in the world championship.
The arrival of international teams, media and fans is putting Malaysia in front of a global audience and bringing spillover business to tourism and local operators.
Viewers across the country can watch every practice session, qualifying and the main race without a subscription, under the public broadcaster's arrangement with beIN SPORTS.
The Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS pair, with 11 victories between them in 2026, face a different kind of test: winning at a circuit they have driven only in a simulator.
Bergson da Silva's hat-trick was not enough as Indonesia topped Group A on goal difference after a 9-2 win over Bangladesh
Anwar toured the pit lane a day before Formula 1's first race in Malaysia since 2017, a stand-in Bahrain Grand Prix that has drawn nearly 100,000 ticket sales amid concerns over haze
The team that carries PETRONAS around the world will race on home ground with two drivers who have never driven Sepang, while 12 of the 22 drivers on the grid know the circuit only from a simulator.
The heat index is forecast to exceed 31 degrees Celsius during Sunday's race, making driver cooling systems compulsory on every car.
Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS brought both its drivers to the national oil company's headquarters ahead of this weekend's Grand Prix at Sepang, with the title fight between them tightening.
PETRONAS entered Formula One in 1995 to build its international brand. Its move to Mercedes for the 2010 season became a partnership involving both commercial ambitions and the technology inside the car.
More than 95,000 tickets have been sold ahead of the Oct 2 to 4 race. A cost arrangement with Bahrain opens a window for Malaysia, but real success depends on smooth organisation and on how much spending stays in the local economy.
Her victory in the women's squash singles final completed the national contingent's six-gold target at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, after Ng Eain Yow delivered the fifth
The national sprinter is scheduled to run in the men's 4x100m relay tomorrow and the mixed relay on Monday, depending on his condition
The national squad beat Thailand 2-0 in the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 final for the country's first gold in the event since Beijing 1990, and Malaysia's fourth gold of the Games
Her win at the Toyohashi Gymnasium came hours after Taj Izrin Aiman took the Gran Turismo 7 event, giving Malaysia two golds in a single day.
The 27-year-old esports athlete came back from second place in the first two races to win the Gran Turismo 7 event, Malaysia's first Asian Games esports gold.
The 20-year-old karateka from Sabah beat Iran's representative 6-4 in the women's under-55kg kumite final, ending the country's 12-year wait for an Asian Games karate gold.
The 20th Games opened in Nagoya after Japan's 32-year wait, with 469 medal events across 43 sports. Malaysia has sent 352 athletes, while several other delegations have complained about accommodation and transport.