F1 returns to Sepang for the first time in nine years

Formula 1 announced on Sunday that the Malaysian Grand Prix will be added to the 2026 calendar, marking the first edition of the race since 2017. In a unique twist, the event will officially be titled the "Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia" after an agreement between the Bahraini and Malaysian governments.

The race will be held on October 4 as part of a tripleheader in late September and early October, sandwiched between the Azerbaijan and Singapore GPs. The 3.4-mile Sepang International Circuit, with its two long main straights flanked by grandstands and fast-flowing corners, has not hosted F1 since Max Verstappen won there for Red Bull in 2017, but has retained a major international presence through its annual MotoGP round.

A replacement for cancelled Middle East events

The Malaysian round is a direct replacement for the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, both originally scheduled for April, after the Middle East conflict broke out in late February. Their withdrawal left a 35-day gap in the calendar between the Japanese GP in late March and the Miami GP in early May.

The decision to revive Sepang and group it with Baku and Singapore was driven by logistics — the flight time between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur is around one hour, and the track sits close to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, easing the challenge of organising a race on roughly 10 weeks' notice.

Calendar uncertainty persists

Despite the announcement, the season is not yet set in stone. The final leg of the campaign is currently scheduled to end on three consecutive tripleheaders — nine races in 11 weeks — but that plan remains contingent on the evolving Middle East situation. F1 can likely wait until late September before deciding whether the Qatar (November 29) and Abu Dhabi (December 6) rounds can go ahead as planned or require further replacements or cancellations.

The pressure on teams has been acute, with freight and kit being rerouted and cost cap adjustments required, as well as prize money contracts linked to a minimum number of races per season. Speaking during the British GP, Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur voiced confidence in those managing the crisis:

"We all want to go to races and we all want to race again and more, but it is like it is. We have huge trust in the FIA and FOM on the calendar. They are working hard to find solutions and I'm really convinced that they are doing the best."

Gulf Air, the Bahraini national carrier and regular Bahrain GP sponsor, will serve as title partner for the revived event, underscoring the behind-the-scenes diplomatic agreement that made the Malaysian venue possible.