2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia: Fast Facts

• Formula 1 returns to Sepang International Circuit for the first time since 2017, hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix after the original Sakhir date was abandoned following an escalation in a regional conflict
• Pirelli has brought the C2, C3 and C4 compounds, a slightly softer selection than the conservative option the circuit’s characteristics would usually suggest, aimed at narrowing the gap between one-stop and two-stop strategies
• Sebastian Vettel’s four wins remain the outright record at Sepang, while Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton share the pole record on five each, a mark Hamilton could break outright with pole this weekend

The Circuit: Sepang Returns After Nine Years Away

Sepang International Circuit hosts a Formula 1 World Championship round again after a nine-year absence, the venue’s last Grand Prix having been run in 2017. Located a few kilometres from Kuala Lumpur, the 5.543-kilometre, 15-corner layout combines long straights with a cluster of high-speed corners concentrated through the middle sector.

It’s a track that places medium energy demand through the tyres, in a severity range Pirelli compares to Spa-Francorchamps and Shanghai. Ambient and track temperature will be a major factor in how that plays out, making thermal degradation one of the weekend’s key variables.

For teams and drivers, the challenge is compounded by time. The last race held here was in 2017, when the cars and tyres in use were markedly different from the current generation, leaving almost nothing directly transferable from that era to this one.

Why The Race Moved To Malaysia

This event was originally scheduled for 10 to 12 April at the Bahrain International Circuit, as round four of the season. Following an escalation in a regional conflict that began in late February, Formula 1 announced in March that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix would not go ahead on their original dates, citing the safety of teams, officials and fans in the region.

The Bahrain round was subsequently rescheduled to Sepang for 2 to 4 October, now round 16 of the season, under an arrangement between Formula 1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia. Bahrain retains the event’s ticketing and proceeds under that agreement, with Malaysia hosting.

Tyres: A Slightly Softer Selection Than The Circuit Would Suggest

Pirelli has nominated the C2 as Hard, C3 as Medium and C4 as Soft for Sepang’s return, a touch more aggressive than the harder trio that would ordinarily be the conservative choice for a circuit with these characteristics. The aim is a broader strategic range, narrowing the time difference between a one-stop and a two-stop race.

Sepang’s surface is relatively abrasive, with roughness Pirelli compares to Bahrain itself, while retaining its own distinct character. Grip is expected to start low on Friday and build through the weekend as the track evolves, with thermal management across both axles standing out as the main challenge for teams.

The Surface: Resurfaced In Places, But Familiar Overall

The circuit has seen targeted changes since 2017. In 2023, the section between Turns 6 and 12 was resurfaced, with further work carried out around Turn 9. From the start of September this year, additional surface levelling removed irregularities in the asphalt, alongside cleaning work ahead of the race weekend.

Despite that, Pirelli’s own engineers, who assessed the surface again just weeks before the event, found its overall characteristics remain very similar to those recorded back in 2017.

Racing Without Recent Data

No team holds genuinely relevant reference data for the current generation of Formula 1 cars at Sepang, despite it being a historic venue. That gap puts unusual weight on Friday practice, both for drivers working from little beyond simulator time and for engineers needing to establish correct car balance and tyre behaviour from scratch.

Weather adds a further layer of unpredictability. Afternoon thunderstorms are a regular feature of the region in early October, and intense heat, high humidity and sudden downpours were always a defining characteristic of the Malaysian Grand Prix during its years as a permanent calendar fixture.

Sepang By The Numbers

This will be the 20th Formula 1 race held at Sepang, following 19 consecutive editions of the Malaysian Grand Prix between 1999 and 2017. The race runs 56 laps of the 5.543-kilometre circuit, a total distance of 310.398 kilometres.

Sebastian Vettel holds the outright win record with four victories, one more than Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso on three apiece. Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton share the pole position record at five each, a tie Hamilton could break with a sixth pole this weekend. Ferrari is the most successful constructor at the venue with seven wins, ahead of Red Bull on five.

Two other marks are worth watching. Max Verstappen is Sepang’s youngest ever winner, having taken victory in 2017 at 20 years and one day old, while Fernando Alonso remains its youngest pole-sitter, at 21 years and seven months, a record the current grid’s younger drivers are well placed to challenge.

Toto Wolff On A Familiar Test With An Unfamiliar Car

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff previewed the weekend: “This weekend has extra significance for us because of our long-standing relationship with PETRONAS. It’s fantastic to see Formula One returning to Sepang and we should also recognise the effort that has gone into making this Grand Prix happen. It has required strong collaboration between Malaysia and Bahrain, and that deserves credit.

“Once the cars are on track, though, our focus is on the job ahead. Sepang is a demanding circuit that asks every question of the car. You need performance in the high-speed corners, good traction, strong tyre management and consistency in hot, challenging conditions. It is one of the more complete tests on the calendar.

“We are bringing an update package this weekend, and that is an important step for us. At the more representative circuits in recent races, we have not been where we want to be. Monza and Baku presented unique challenges, but on the more conventional tracks we have not been in the fight for pole position. We know that and we are working hard to change it.

“The update is hopefully another step forward, but there are no guarantees in F1. The stopwatch is always the final judge. Our focus is on understanding the package quickly, executing the weekend well, and aiming to put ourselves in the fight at the front.”

McLaren Returns To Bahrain Hunting Another Double Podium

Formula 1 returns to Sepang for the first time since 2017 with neither Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri having raced a Formula 1 car at the venue before. Both drivers begin the weekend converting simulator time into track understanding, working with the team to establish a baseline before the sessions that matter.

Because this event is still officially the Bahrain Grand Prix, it also marks Formula 1’s first visit to Sepang with the current generation of cars, a combination of long straights, heavy braking zones and varied corner profiles that will demand a new set-up direction entirely. Energy deployment remains a key focus throughout, balancing performance across the lap and making the most of the circuit’s different sections.

McLaren arrives with strong memories of what this event produced last time out, in Sakhir in 2025, when Oscar Piastri converted pole position into victory and Lando Norris climbed from sixth on the grid to finish third, a double podium for the team. The aim this weekend is to challenge for similarly strong results on an entirely different circuit.

Randy Singh, Senior Director, Racing at McLaren, previewed the challenge from the team’s side: “Returning to Sepang for the first time in almost a decade presents an interesting challenge, particularly with limited recent data for this generation of cars. We have prepared extensively in the simulator, including giving Lando and Oscar time to learn the circuit, but there can be uncertainty around the accuracy of circuit models and our understanding of the tarmac, which will be an important factor in tyre behaviour. Friday will therefore be especially valuable as the drivers tune themselves into the circuit and we work through the best set-up and car configuration, understand the tyres, and assess overtaking and racing with the new cars and power units.

“From a performance perspective, Sepang demands a careful balance between load and drag. The long straights place a premium on power and deployment optimisation, while the range of corners rewards a car with good load, which is where I expect teams may lean. Following the significant upgrade package introduced in Azerbaijan, we will not bring as much to Malaysia, although we expect to have some circuit-specific bodywork.

“Strategically, Sepang has traditionally placed an emphasis on managing high degradation and selecting the quickest tyre sequence rather than prioritising track position, but if overtaking is more difficult under the new power-unit regulations, that balance could shift. The prospect of heavy afternoon rain is also a significant part of our preparation, particularly as there have not yet been any competitive wet sessions under the current regulations and Sepang can produce rainfall of considerable intensity.”

Bahrain Grand Prix In Malaysia: Fast Facts

• Formula 1 returns to Sepang for the first time since 2017, after nine years away from the venue
• This event is officially the Bahrain Grand Prix, relocated after the original Sakhir date was abandoned following a regional conflict that made hosting there unsafe
• Sebastian Vettel’s four wins remain Sepang’s outright record, one more than Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso on three each
• Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton share the pole record at five apiece, a tie Hamilton can break with pole this weekend
• Ferrari’s seven wins make it the most successful constructor at Sepang, ahead of Red Bull’s five
• Max Verstappen remains Sepang’s youngest ever winner, victorious in 2017 at 20 years and one day old
• Sepang hosted 19 F1 Grands Prix between 1999 and 2017; designed by Hermann Tilke, it became the first purpose-built F1 venue in Asia when it opened just before the turn of the century.
• The Sepang International Circuit is one of the widest tracks ever used in F1, measuring between 16 and 22 metres wide, allowing multiple racing lines and creating overtaking opportunities throughout the lap.
• The combination of high temperatures and humidity means a race at Sepang is considered one of the most physically demanding challenges for drivers on the calendar.
• Oracle Red Bull Racing secured victories at the last two Formula 1 races hosted at the Sepang circuit, with Max’s 2017 win following on from Daniel in the 2016 race.
• Red Bull have finished 1-2 in Sepang on three previous occasions.  Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber were 1-2 in the 2010 and 2013 races, while Daniel and Max finished 1-2 at Sepang in 2016. 

More F1 Reading

• Fernando Alonso Calls F1’s Return to Sepang a Golden Ticket as Drivers Relish Malaysia Homecoming
• Mercedes Unveil Special Petronas Livery for Sepang Return as Toto Wolff Confirms Major Upgrade Package
• Fernando Alonso Extends Aston Martin Stay Through 2027 Alongside Lance Stroll in Unchanged Line-Up
• Sergio Perez Calls Pointless Baku Weekend ‘One of My Best’ as Cadillac’s Struggles Continue

Written by

Jack Renn

Jack Renn is an editor at F1 Chronicle and a veteran motorsport journalist with 25 years of experience covering Formula 1 and international motorsport. A member of the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive (AIPS), the global body representing accredited sports journalists, Jack has spent his career reporting from paddocks and press rooms across the F1 calendar. His work spans race analysis, technical insight, and in-depth features, giving readers authoritative coverage grounded in decades of firsthand experience at the highest level of the sport.

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