“It’s lights out and away we go!” Get ready for that iconic starting phrase as the lights go out and Formula 1 officially returns to Malaysia, nine years after the last chequered flag waved. The FIA has announced that Malaysia will be joining the Formula 1 calendar over the 2-4 October 2026 weekend at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC).
Just shy of a decade since the last race in 2017, the surprise announcement marks the return of motorsports premier single-seater series to the country.
Despite the race being held in Malaysia, the race will officially be labelled the “Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia”, as we Malaysia will be hosting the Bahrain GP, after the race was previously cancelled after the conflict in the middle east raised safety concerns to carry on in the gulf.
Sepang has been given the blessing by the King of Bahrain, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, to host the race in place of the the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. Nonetheless, the event is still subject to final agreements and an official sign-off between all parties involved before ticketing information will be released.
“We are delighted 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, creating an exciting moment for everyone who follows Formula 1,” said series president and CEO Stefano Domenicalli.
The Bahrain GP and Saudi Arabian GP were previously scheduled for 12 April and 19 April 2026, but the middle east conflict forced the Formula 1 to cancel those races. Bahrain had still been hoping to reschedule the race but given the renewed tensions in the gulf, the race will now be hosted in Malaysia.
If you are still confused of the official name, think of it as Bahrain renting SIC to host their race. How will the management of things happen behind the scenes such as who is paying for everything? ESPN reported earlier Bahrain will be financing everything, although other sources say that discussions were still ongoing.
If you ask us, though, we’ll leave the decision to the officials and just rejoice that Formula 1 has finally returned to our crown jewel of motorsports!
“This collaboration is more than the staging of a world-class sporting event. It reflects the enduring friendship, mutual trust and close partnership between Malaysia and the Kingdom of Bahrain, while reaffirming Malaysia’s readiness and capability to host major international events,” said Malaysian prime minister Anwar Ibrahim in a separately released statement.
While the stop in Malaysia makes it 23 races of the original 24 scheduled, the season-ending races at Qatar on 29 November and Abu Dhabi on 6 December could still be cancelled due to the unrest in the region.
Should those races be cancelled, the FIA will be keen to add another race to meet the minimum 22 races obligation to the broadcasters. There is word that Imola could be the latest addition.
The last Malaysian GP was held in 2017 and won by Max Verstappen, just the second of his career. Could another win for Max be on the cards come 4 October?
