Formula 1 will make a surprising return to the Sepang Circuit later this season. However, the race will not be called the Malaysian GP, but rather the Bahrain GP, in an unprecedented solution announced to maintain the category’s calendar.
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This change occurred after the cancellation of the stages originally planned for Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran. F1 sought alternatives to avoid further losses in the calendar and reached an agreement with the Malaysian and Bahraini authorities.
Malaysia has not hosted the category since 2017, when it left the calendar after years of increasing costs and declining attendance. Initially, Formula 1 considered holding the Bahrain GP on October 4th in Bahrain itself, but the worsening tensions in the Middle East made this plan unfeasible.
As a result, Malaysia offered to host the race. In return, Bahrain will contribute financially to the event, which resulted in an unconventional name. The official name of the stage will be ‘Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia’, with Bahrain’s national airline as the main sponsor.
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Formula 1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali, celebrated the agreement: “We are pleased to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain GP in 2026. Once again, the category has demonstrated its ability to adapt, find solutions, and deliver an exciting moment for everyone who follows Formula 1,” he stated.
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, as well as seeing Formula 1 return to a great stage. Malaysia is an incredible country, and Sepang holds a special place in the category’s history,” he added.
The race will indeed be on October 4th, but in Malaysia, and will form a sequence of three consecutive stages between the Azerbaijan and Singapore GPs. Doubts still remain about the holding of races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, and Imola is considered an alternative to conclude the 2026 Formula 1 season.
