Sepang, Selangor · MY
Malaysia's iconic circuit near Kuala Lumpur, famous for tropical downpours that transform races. The 3.44-mile track with its dramatic twin towers was designed by Tilke and hosted F1 from 1999 to 2017.
Sepang International Circuit is a permanent racing circuit, located in Sepang, Selangor. Drivers cover 5.543 km (3.444 miles) and 15 corners each lap, run clockwise.
The circuit opened in 1999 and holds FIA Grade 1 licensing. It appears on the Formula 1 and MotoGP calendars. Around 130,000 spectators can attend.
Sepang was a statement of intent. The Malaysian government under Mahathir Mohamad commissioned it as part of the Vision 2020 programme meant to establish the country as an industrial and technological centre, and Mahathir's own interest in motorsport pushed it along. Ground was broken on 1 November 1997 and the circuit opened on 7 March 1999.
It matters beyond Malaysia because it was the first circuit Hermann Tilke designed for Formula 1, and it set the pattern nearly every new venue has followed since — wide track, long straights ending in tight corners to encourage overtaking, and vast grandstands under a distinctive roof. The first Malaysian Grand Prix ran on 17 October 1999 before 80,000 spectators and was won by Eddie Irvine. Sunday afternoon tropical downpours became a fixture of the event.
View all 6 hotels near Sepang International Circuit