The opening of the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia 1999 saw motorsport's premier category make its debut in the southern Asian country. The circuit, designed by Hermann Tilke, has hosted Formula 1 annually ever since, with the winner of the inaugural race being Northern Ireland's Eddie Irvine in a Ferrari. The MotoGP world championship, too, is a regular visitor to Sepang.

The layout of the circuit situated 60 kilometers south of the capital Kuala Lumpur is relatively unusual in that it combines a long back straight with a hairpin leading into the main start/finish straight. Sepang is known for its circuitous layout.