Formula 1 will make a surprising return to the Sepang Circuit later this season. However, the race will not be titled the Malaysian Grand Prix, but rather the Bahrain Grand Prix, in an unprecedented solution announced to keep the sport’s calendar intact.
This shift occurred after the cancellation of the rounds originally planned for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the war in the region involving the United States, Israel, and Iran. F1 sought alternatives to prevent further losses to the calendar and reached an agreement with the authorities of Malaysia and Bahrain.
Malaysia has not hosted the category since 2017, when it left the calendar after years of rising costs and a drop in attendance. Initially, Formula 1 considered staging the Bahrain Grand Prix on October 4 in Bahrain itself, but the worsening tensions in the Middle East made that plan unviable.
As a result, Malaysia offered to host the race. In return, Bahrain would contribute financially to the event, which resulted in an unconventional naming. The official name of the event will be ‘Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia’, with the Bahraini national airline as the main sponsor.
The CEO of Formula 1, Stefano Domenicali, celebrated the agreement: “We are pleased to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026. Once again, the sport has demonstrated its ability to adapt, find solutions, and deliver an exciting moment for all who follow Formula 1,” he said.
Domenicali also highlighted Sepang’s return to the calendar: “This is fantastic news for our fans. They will continue to enjoy a full and exciting calendar, in addition to seeing Formula 1 return to a major stage. Malaysia is an amazing country, and Sepang holds a special place in the sport’s history,” he added.
The race will indeed take place on October 4, but in Malaysia, and it will form a stretch of three consecutive rounds between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix. Doubts remain about the holding of races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and Imola is being considered as an alternative to close out Formula 1’s 2026 season.
