by Theleaders | October 3, 2026 11:36 am
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 — Formula 1 spectators have complained of gridlocked roads, long shuttle bus queues and poor crowd management at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), after the first day of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia yesterday.
Malaysian X user @tuakdotsol, said this morning that roads heading towards the circuit remained gridlocked, while private cars and e-hailing vehicles were apparently being stopped at the perimeter, funnelling spectators towards shuttle hubs at Mitsui Outlet Park and KLIA Terminal 2.
“Apparently private cars and Grabs are blocked at the perimeter, so everyone funnels into shuttle hubs at Mitsui outlet and KLIA T2,” the user wrote, alongside images showing large crowds near the circuit.
British content creator Ryan Howlett, who is based in Malaysia, said he left Sepang at 5.45pm yesterday but only managed to board a bus at 9pm, describing the experience as “one of the craziest things” he had encountered.
Howlett also alleged that people were fighting, shouting and throwing objects at buses amid the crowds, while criticising what he described as an absence of signs or information when spectators exited the circuit.
Another X user, @saroki19, described the journey from Sepang to KLIA yesterday as “very bad” and “horrendous”, criticising the organisation of the shuttle service and traffic management.
“Really need to think & plan this well. Sunday is going to be hell!” the user wrote, while tagging Rapid KL, the police and KLIA Ekspres.
Malaysian X user @RimauXI also complained yesterday of “super long” bus queues, while noting that access to the circuit from the Sultan Abdul Samad KLIA Mosque roundabout was restricted to authorised vehicles.
The complaints come despite extensive transport arrangements announced ahead of the race, with Rapid KL saying 95 free shuttle buses would run every 10 to 15 minutes from KLIA Terminal 2, Mitsui Outlet Park and Bandar Baru Enstek between 7am and midnight, although frequencies were subject to traffic conditions.
KLIA had warned that more than 200,000 spectators were expected over the three-day event, with daily crowds potentially exceeding 100,000, and advised racegoers to use public transport because of limited parking and expected congestion.
The Bahrain Grand Prix is being held at Sepang from October 2 to 4 after the original Bahrain race could not go ahead, bringing Formula 1 back to the Malaysian circuit for the first time since 2017.
Source URL: https://theleaders-online.com/bahrain-gp-in-malaysia-f1-fans-complain-of-gridlocked-traffic-over-three-hour-waits-for-shuttles/
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