Bahrain Grand Prix moves to Sepang as Russell hunts down Antonelli and Mercedes bring new upgrade

Formula 1 is back in action this week for Round 16 of the 2026 season — and at an unexpected venue. Following the postponement of April's Bahrain Grand Prix, strong collaboration between the Sakhir race organisers and the Government of Malaysia led to an agreement to host this year's edition of the race at Sepang, a circuit that last appeared on the calendar in 2017.

Fresh from a thrilling finish in Baku, the paddock returns to a popular venue for the first time in nearly a decade, with plenty of talking points set to play out across the next round of the triple-header.

Can Russell build momentum?

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a hugely impressive weekend for George Russell, who secured his third win of the season. What stood out was how comfortable he looked right from the opening lap, topping the first practice sessions, taking a dominant pole position and then leading every lap on his way to victory.

That does not tell the full story, either. Russell had to withstand serious pressure from Max Verstappen in the second half of the race, but did not crack as he picked up his first Grand Prix win since Austria in late June.

With Kimi Antonelli having a tough opening two days in Azerbaijan before recovering from 16th on the grid to fifth, Russell closed the gap at the top of the Drivers' Championship from 81 points to 66. That is still a significant margin, and Antonelli has been remarkably consistent this year, but Russell has certainly looked more comfortable since the summer break.

The races come quickly at this stage of the season and — as long as he does not take a power unit penalty — if Russell can carry his form from Baku to Sepang, he will have every chance of reducing Antonelli's advantage once again.

Mercedes arrive with an upgrade

It could prove an ominous entry for Mercedes' rivals: the Constructors' Championship leaders, winners of the past three races, have new parts on the W17 this weekend.

Mercedes had suggested they would face a tough test in August and September as rivals updated their cars, and there was a run of just one win in four races prior to the latest three victories. But what was already a very competitive car is now set for a further upgrade.

Three practice sessions should give the team time to understand the impact of the package, and it will be up to the drivers to get their heads round any potential changes in the car's characteristics. However, despite an impressive rate of improvement across the grid so far this season, the success of an update is never guaranteed.

Fallout from Baku's Safety Car chaos

The second half of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was dramatic, with the first Safety Car restart producing all sorts of chaos that also involved two sets of team mates. Misjudgements from Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad saw them hit and spin their respective team mates Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson, taking both out of the running for points.

Lando Norris was also caught up in the incident that saw Gasly and Colapinto retire, while Lawson suffered damage — though Lindblad could at least limit the losses by recovering to finish seventh.

Colapinto carries a five-place grid penalty into this weekend's race in Malaysia as a result of causing the collision, and Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore suggested there could be further internal repercussions.

"I know that Franco has taken full responsibility for it, as he should; in fact he braked far too late considering the context of the race and the Safety Car restart," Briatore said after Baku. "It was a very poor move for a driver of his experience. I want to take time to reflect on it and consider what course of action should be taken, so we can learn from it and avoid such a situation in future."

This weekend will likely see the fallout discussed further, but it also provides all of the drivers involved with a chance to bounce back quickly. Whether it impacts the dynamics between team mates — particularly if they are racing wheel-to-wheel again at any stage on Sunday — remains to be seen.

A fond return to Sepang

Sepang hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix on 19 occasions before dropping off the calendar after 2017, and it delivered plenty of exciting racing during that time. The long straights that start and end the lap provide overtaking opportunities, while the high-speed middle sector is a great test of all-round car performance.

Throw in the potential for rain to impact the action and all of the ingredients are in place for an exciting return this weekend.

Ten drivers have previously made a Grand Prix start at Sepang, meaning more than half of the grid will be getting their first taste of racing action at the venue. While it is a shame not to be able to race in Bahrain — on a track that often delivers plenty of close battles — there is every chance that Sepang can offer a similarly entertaining Grand Prix as a substitute over the coming days.