Bahrain Grand Prix moves to Malaysia’s Sepang circuit for 2026

Formula 1’s 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix has been relocated to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, where the race is scheduled for Oct. 4. The event marks Formula 1’s first visit to the circuit since 2017, according to ABC Australia, and follows the cancellation or relocation of races amid conflict and uncertainty in the Middle East.¹²³⁴

A Bahrain race in Malaysia

According to Variety, the race carries the official name 2026 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia and is set to start at 3pm locally, or 3am Eastern Time and midnight Pacific Time. Sky Sports listed the race for 8am on Sunday, with its coverage beginning at 6.30am. Sepang measures about 5.5 kilometres, and ABC Australia said the race would run for 56 laps.²³⁴

Accounts of the relocation’s background remain attributed to individual outlets. According to the BBC, warfare in the Middle East led to the earlier cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. ABC Australia said Liberty Media moved the Bahrain event from Sakhir because of the Iran war and the broader regional situation, while Variety linked the switch to uncertainty arising from the conflict involving Iran. The BBC further said that Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Bahrain's crown prince, negotiated an agreement to stage the race in Malaysia.¹²³

Sepang hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix between 1999 and 2017, according to Variety. ABC Australia reported that just 10 members of the 22-driver field had previously raced in Malaysia, leaving more than half the grid without Formula 1 experience at the venue.²³

For viewers in the United States, Variety reported that Apple TV would make the race available online without a subscription. The outlet said the service, which it described as Formula 1’s official US streaming home, would carry the event in 4K with Dolby Vision and 5.1 surround sound.²

Tyres dominate the preparations

The circuit’s surface quickly became a central concern. Pirelli warned teams that Sepang was comparatively abrasive, according to ABC Australia, while Oscar Piastri said it “looks like sandpaper”. The McLaren driver expected substantial tyre wear, and both the BBC and Sky reported rapid degradation during Friday running. High temperatures and humidity added to the tyre-management challenge described by Sky.¹³⁴

Malaysia’s tropical climate can bring thunderstorms, heavy afternoon rain and lightning, ABC Australia reported. Antonelli said the circuit’s open surface should limit standing water and reduce the likelihood of aquaplaning in ordinary rain. He described Sepang as “the best track to try these cars for the first time in the rain”.³

Antonelli takes over from Verstappen

Verstappen set the fastest time in first practice, with Mercedes driver George Russell 0.383 seconds behind and Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar third, 0.783 seconds off the lead. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were fourth and sixth, while Antonelli placed fifth. McLaren began outside the top 10, with Piastri 11th and Lando Norris 12th.¹⁴

By final practice, Antonelli had moved to the front. Sky reported that he beat Verstappen by 0.278 seconds, with Hadjar third and Russell fourth. Leclerc and Hamilton took fifth and sixth, followed by Norris and Piastri. Franco Colapinto was ninth and Arvid Lindblad tenth. A short red-flag interruption followed after debris became lodged on Oliver Bearman’s Haas.⁴

Mercedes introduced its largest update package in four months, according to Sky, including changes to the floor, rear suspension and rear corner of the W17. Russell said the immediate issue was finding an effective set-up for the unusual tyre behaviour rather than judging the upgrade itself. McLaren also compared a rotating rear-wing design with its standard specification during opening practice.⁴

Grid penalties will also affect the field. The BBC reported that Lindblad would start at the rear after exceeding his allocation of engine components and that Hadjar was expected to lose five places for the same reason. Sky said Colapinto had a combined 15-place penalty arising from a collision in Baku and the installation of a new engine at Sepang.¹⁴