Formula 1 came back to Malaysia after a break of nine years, but the event that I was looking forward to so much at Sepang International Circuit (SIC) faced massive difficulties with transportation. Many fans faced congestion on the road, as well as lengthy shuttle bus lines after watching the practices and qualifiers on October 2 and 3, 2026.
Some audience members had to wait for hours for their shuttle buses, while others opted to leave on foot. One of the guests, Mohd Khalimi, informed that he had walked 11 kilometers from SIC to Mitsui Outlet Park, where he parked his car.
Supporters Trek for Kilometers to Get Away from the Horde
Some fans chronicled experiences of this style online with photos and videos showing long queues for shuttle buses and crowds walking on roads.
Some fans, as per reports, walked up to KL International Airport Terminal 2, which is around 20 kilometers from the track.
Another fan named Amir stated he walked almost seven kilometers after the session on October 2 ended at five in the evening, making it to his house at 11:30 p.m. instead of what would usually take an hour.
Amir stated that annoyed fans were rushing to the buses as soon as they arrived, with some people banging on the buses while yelling at the drivers. Amir also spotted some fans walking on the side of the road, stopping at times due to muscle cramps.
Making transportation issues worse was limited access for ride-hailing services to drop off/pick up customers near SIC.
Alterations implement to Shuttle Services After Receiving Complaints
According to reports, unauthorized motorcycle shuttle services charging between RM25 and RM50 were seen in the area of the congestion. Visitors complained about having to wait too long in lines to get drinking water with some water stations out of service.
Rapid KL, the provider of the shuttle service, sent out 95 buses and made changes to its schedule after receiving complaints from visitors.
Sepang International Circuit stated it cooperates with transportation corporations and authorities to enhance traffic control, shuttle service, and crowd management.
While the situation has become a little better, the nonstop queues for shuttle buses could still be up to two hours long.
These transport issues have raised concerns regarding Malaysia’s ability to organize Formula 1 events in the country permanently at all. However, for fans of the event, it clearly demonstrates how much transportation and crowd control can impact the experience.
