KUALA LUMPUR, July 27 2026 — Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim has responded with characteristic humour to a wave of public requests for special “MADANI” tickets to watch Formula 1 return to the Sepang International Circuit later this year.
In a post on X on Monday afternoon, Anwar shared a video clip from a recent public event in which he was asked about the possibility of affordable government-linked tickets under the Malaysia MADANI banner.
“Ramai juga yang tanya, ‘PMX, ada tak tiket MADANI?’ 😅
Insya-Allah kita usahakan. Tapi jangan minta duduk depan starting grid atau paddock. 😄
Tak kira la duduk dekat mana, yang penting kita sama-sama dapat tengok Formula 1 di Sepang. 🏎️🏁🇲🇾,” he wrote.
In the accompanying video, Anwar is seen addressing the question live, acknowledging that messages asking for MADANI tickets had been sent to him via WhatsApp. He replied lightly that such tickets would be arranged “Insya-Allah,” while joking that fans should not expect seats right at the starting grid or in the paddock.
The remarks come just one day after Formula 1 and the FIA confirmed that Sepang will host the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from October 2 to 4, 2026. The race is being staged in Malaysia as a replacement after the original Bahrain event was cancelled due to regional security issues.
Malaysia last hosted an F1 Grand Prix in 2017. The unexpected return has sparked nationwide excitement, with fans flooding social media with nostalgic clips and demands for accessible tickets.
Anwar’s light-hearted pledge is expected to raise expectations that the government may facilitate lower-priced or special-category tickets under the MADANI initiative, though no official details on pricing or allocation have been released yet. Formula 1 has said ticket information will be announced soon.
For now, the Prime Minister’s message is clear: the priority is for as many Malaysians as possible to experience F1 on home soil — even if the view is from further back in the stands.
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