As part of a series of major infrastructure projects in the 1990s under Mahathir Mohamad's government, the Sepang International Circuit was constructed between 1997 and 1999 close to Putrajaya, the then-newly founded administrative capital of the country, with the intent of hosting the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Notably, the final corner was raised by approximately 1 meter,[3] which officials claimed would force drivers to take a later apex and explore different racing lines through the hairpin.

In October 2016 it was rumored that the Sepang circuit may be dropped from the Formula One calendar due to dwindling ticket sales, and held its nineteenth and last World Championship Grand Prix in 2017.

The main circuit, normally raced in a clockwise direction, is 5.543 km (3.444 mi) long, and is noted for its sweeping corners and wide straights from 16–22 m (52–72 ft).

[citation needed] Sepang starts with a long pit straight where the DRS zone exists – crucial for drivers to get a good exit out of the last corner to gain as much speed as possible.

Most drivers brake incredibly late and lose speed gradually as they file round the corner, similar to Shanghai's first turn but slower.

Turns 5 and 6 make up an incredibly high-speed, long chicane that hurts tyres and puts a lot of stress on drivers due to high G-Force.

[8] Turns 7 and 8 (the KLIA curve) make up a long, medium-speed, double-apex right hander, and a bump can cause the car to lose balance here.