Vehicles heading to Sepang International Circuit (SIC) for the Formula 1 (F1) Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix from today until Sunday will have to pass through one of five designated screening points before entering the circuit grounds. Selangor police chief Datuk Shazeli Kahar said the checks will cover tickets, vehicle passes and access stickers to ensure only authorised vehicles enter the venue.
Around 200,000 spectators are expected to attend the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, with the highest turnout anticipated on race day. To recap, the event marks Formula 1’s return to Sepang after the Malaysian Grand Prix was last held at SIC in 2017. The Bahrain Grand Prix was relocated to Malaysia this year after the original race in Bahrain was unable to take place amid geopolitical tensions in West Asia.
Vehicles Without Access, Motorcycles Will Be Denied Entry
The five screening points are located at the Chicken Hut area from the KLIA Toll Plaza direction, the route from KLIA Terminal 1 towards the KLIA mosque roundabout, the area before the roundabout, the route from Kompleks Warisan Rohaniah, and the four-way junction at the police quarters.
Vehicles without valid access or parking passes, including motorcycles, will not be allowed into SIC and will instead be directed to designated shuttle bus stops. Motorcycles will only be permitted for authorised staff and workers who have the relevant permits and passes.
The police have also prepared 4,000 parking spaces for the event. A total of 365 officers and personnel from the Traffic Investigation and Enforcement Department have been deployed for traffic control, congestion prevention patrols, enforcement and VIP movement control.
Traffic Expected To Peak On Sunday
Traffic control and enforcement will take place from 9am to 6pm daily, with the heaviest congestion expected on Sunday when the main race takes place. Police have advised motorists to plan their journeys in advance, follow instructions from personnel on the ground and leave earlier, particularly those heading to KLIA Terminals 1 and 2. Meanwhile, vehicles parked on road shoulders or obstructing traffic will also be subject to summonses and towing action.
The latest screening requirements follow SIC’s earlier announcement that motorcycles without valid parking stickers or passes would not be allowed into the circuit during the race weekend. The circuit said unrestricted access to different types of vehicles had been a major contributor to severe congestion during large motorsport events in the past.
Free Shuttle Buses Available
Visitors without parking access are encouraged to use public transport, e-hailing services or the free shuttle buses provided during the event. Rapid KL is operating 95 buses from three locations, namely the Level 1 bus hub at KLIA Terminal 2, Mitsui KLIA bus hub and De-Village in Bandar Baru Enstek.
The shuttle service will run from 7am to midnight from today until Sunday, with buses operating every 10 to 15 minutes. Rapid KL is also providing shuttle buses within SIC to help visitors travel between key locations around the circuit.
