KUALA LUMPUR: The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix held at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit generated nearly RM950 million (US$232 million) in economic impact, the youth and sports ministry said on Tuesday (Oct 13).
In a written parliamentary reply, Malaysian Youth and Sports Minister Taufiq Johari said the Oct 2 to Oct 4 event attracted about 261,000 spectators over three days, including an estimated 103,000 on race day.
The turnout surpassed Sepang’s previous F1 record of 126,690 at the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix, local media previously reported.
The race earlier this month was also watched by 827 million viewers worldwide, Taufiq said, citing figures from the Formula 1 management.
The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix was relocated to Sepang in Malaysia as a one-off event after the original Bahrain race could not go ahead in April because of the Iran war and wider tensions in the Middle East.
More than 97,000 tickets were sold while over 50,000 international tourists and about 5,000 foreign workers travelled to Malaysia for the event, Taufiq said.
“The presence of overseas spectators also increased revenue for the tourism, hospitality and aviation sectors as well as local small and medium enterprises and strengthened Malaysia’s profile as a world-class sports and investment destination,” he said in the parliamentary reply, as quoted by Free Malaysia Today.
