Kuala lumpur: The Youth and Sports Ministry (KBS) is holding weekly coordination meetings until the staging of the Bahrain Formula One (F1) Grand Prix to ensure that all preparations, including security and protocol aspects, run smoothly. Its Minister, Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari, said the meetings are held every Tuesday and involve the main committee and technical committee, as well as eight sub-committees set up to coordinate preparations for the race.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Mohammed Taufiq stated that the government had previously set up two special committees to coordinate preparations for the staging of the Bahrain F1 race at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) from October 2 to 4. The committees comprise a main committee chaired by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar and a technical committee under KBS to ensure every aspect of the preparations progresses smoothly according to the set timeline.

He further mentioned that the government has so far allocated RM16 million for the staging of the Bahrain F1 race, while any additional costs were still being discussed and would be announced after all negotiations had been finalised. The technical team from the International Automobile Federation (FIA) had carried out an inspection recently and was satisfied with the current condition of the track, with no major issues identified.

The closure of SIC from September 7 until the race day is at the request of the FIA and Formula One Management (FOM) to carry out maintenance on the circuit, as well as several improvements identified by the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) as necessary. Training sessions and track testing will also be conducted to ensure that SIC is in good condition, functioning properly, and safe for the event. The media previously reported that SIC is expected to be closed to the public from September 7 until the end of the Bahrain F1 race to facilitate maintenance, testing, and final preparations.