F1 returns to Sepang after nine years as Malaysia steps in to host relocated Bahrain Grand Prix
Formula 1 returns to the hugely popular Sepang International Circuit after a nine-year absence this weekend, with Malaysia stepping in to stage the Bahrain Grand Prix from Friday October 2 to Sunday October 4, 2026.
Bahrain were unable to stage their race in April at their own Sakhir track owing to the conflict in the Middle East, but a deal was struck for Malaysia to host the event instead — bringing grand prix racing back to a country that last held a race in 2017, when Red Bull's Max Verstappen took victory.
Title picture: Russell back on track as Antonelli's lead shrinks
Sepang stages the second leg of the season's first flyaway triple header, and the championship battle arrives in Malaysia finely poised. George Russell got his title hopes back on track with victory by less than two tenths from Verstappen last time out in Baku.
Kimi Antonelli limited the damage with fifth after crashing in qualifying, but saw his lead cut to 66 points with eight rounds remaining. Lewis Hamilton is 103 points adrift and Lando Norris 116 points back — but McLaren are expected to be strong at the high-speed Sepang International Circuit.
A track that changed the game for F1 venues
F1's drivers are excited about the sport's return to Sepang — and no wonder. The sweeping, aerodynamically demanding 3.44-mile layout was the first all-new track designed by F1's now-resident architect Hermann Tilke and quickly made its mark when it staged its inaugural Grand Prix in 1999, with the facility as a whole changing the game for what Formula 1 venues needed to be like in future.
The 15-corner track quickly proved popular with drivers and fans alike for its array of impressive medium and high-speed corner sequences, plus the now-common combination of long straights into wide, heavy braking zones.
Key aspects of the lap include the long curved run through Turn Three to the Turn Four right-hander, the fast left-right flicks of Turns Five and Six, and the sweeping, technical corners of the final sector leading onto the half-mile back straight down to the final turn, a hairpin.
Weather watch: heat, humidity and thunderstorms
Tropical Malaysia guarantees heat, humidity — and the threat of thunderstorms. Sunny one minute, the scene of a huge downpour the next, F1 teams will have to be sharp with their weather radars this weekend. The big question: will 2026 finally deliver a wet qualifying or Grand Prix?
UK start times and full schedule
Malaysia is seven hours ahead of the UK, but the scheduling of the key sessions at Sepang makes for convenient weekend breakfast-time viewing on Sky Sports F1, with Qualifying at 9am on Saturday and the Grand Prix at 8am on Sunday.
Thursday October 1
- 7am: Drivers' Press Conference
- 10am: Paddock Uncut
Friday October 2
- 5am: Bahrain GP Practice One (session starts at 5.30am)
- 7.30am: Team Bosses' Press Conference
- 8.45am: Bahrain GP Practice Two (session starts at 9am)
- 10.15am: The F1 Show
Saturday October 3
- 5.15am: Bahrain GP Practice Three (session starts at 5.30am)
- 8am: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up
- 9am: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING
Sunday October 4
- 6.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Bahrain GP build-up
- 8am: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX
- 10am: Chequered Flag: Bahrain GP reaction
How to watch or stream the Bahrain Grand Prix
Sky customers can watch every session on Sky Sports F1 from first practice on Friday morning through to the Grand Prix itself on Sunday October 4 at 8am, with selected sessions also on Sky Sports Main Event. The Sky Sports app also offers the option to go onboard with any driver.
Non-Sky customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month membership, while anyone on the move can follow live coverage of the race weekend through Sky Sports' dedicated F1 blog. Free highlights will be available on the Sky Sports app shortly after the chequered flag.
To watch on mobile, Sky Sports subscribers can download or open the Sky Sports app, head to the 'Live' section at 6.30am on Sunday for build-up ahead of lights out at 8am, tap on the Sky Sports F1 channel and sign in with their Sky iD.