SEPANG, Oct 3 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today attended the Formula One Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix qualifying session at the Sepang International Circuit.
Anwar arrived at the circuit at about 4.50pm and was received by Chief Secretary to the Government Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar, Petronas president and group chief executive officer Tan Sri Tengku Muhammad Taufik, SIC chairman Datin Anita Azrina Abdul Aziz, and other dignitaries.
He then joined a 15-minute tour of the Mercedes-AMG Petronas team pit, after which he attended a welcome dinner hosted by Bahraini Prime Minister Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa at the paddock.
The Bahrain GP in Malaysia started yesterday with the first and second free practice sessions, followed by the third free practice and qualifying sessions today.
The 56-lap race starts at 3pm tomorrow.
The event marks the return of F1 to Sepang after nine years.
In July, F1 and the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) confirmed Malaysia would host the Bahrain GP, following an agreement involving F1, the FIA and the Malaysian and Bahraini governments.
The arrangement allows the Bahrain GP to remain on the F1 calendar after it was relocated to Sepang amid West Asia tensions.
F1 made its debut at Sepang in 1999, with the circuit hosting the Malaysian GP until 2017.
