Bahrain F1 GP In Malaysia Generated RM345 Million For Local Businesses
Visitors attending the F1 race were projected to spend 2.17 times more than those attending ordinary events.
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Local micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) benefited from more than RM345 million in economic spillover from the 2026 Bahrain Gulf Air Formula 1 Grand Prix in Malaysia
Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong said the race had a significant economic impact on local businesses, particularly those in the hospitality, food and beverage, retail, transport, entertainment, tourism, and support services sectors.
"The impact reflects the important role of large-scale international sporting events in stimulating economic activities, especially through the rise in tourism expenditure and demand for local goods and services," he said in a statement yesterday, 8 October.
Sim added that almost half of the 261,000 spectators at the Sepang International Circuit were foreign tourists
Visitors attending the F1 race were projected to spend 2.17 times more than those attending ordinary events, as foreign tourists generally spend more due to longer stays and expenses on accommodation, food and beverages, transport, shopping, and recreational activities.
Sim said Malaysia could build on the event's economic benefits by using international sporting events such as F1 as platforms to expand business opportunities and market access for local MSMEs.
"This effort includes strengthening ties between MSMEs and bigger industry players, event organisers, tourism operators, and local suppliers so that the economic benefits generated by such large-scale events can be enjoyed by more small businesses," he said.
