Racing
© Jonathan Borba
Formula 1 has confirmed that the cancelled 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix will be staged at Sepang on 4 October as the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, bringing the series back to Malaysia for the first time since 2017 while keeping Bahrain on the calendar.
The race will run from 2-4 October in the gap between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the Singapore Grand Prix, creating a Baku-Sepang-Singapore triple-header. That slot was a natural fit logistically, with Sepang and Singapore roughly 300 to 320 kilometers apart, or less than five hours by road.
The reshuffle follows the loss of Bahrain's original April date amid the security crisis in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia's round was also called off, and although F1 had explored reviving Bahrain at Sakhir in the same early October slot, renewed attacks ended any realistic chance of returning to the region at that point.
What makes the solution unusual is that the race will still officially count as the Bahrain Grand Prix despite being held in Malaysia. Bahrain agreed to cover most of the costs and retain the event's identity, with Gulf Air remaining title sponsor, which leaves Sepang hosting a world championship round under another country's grand prix name.
Stefano Domenicali, Formula 1 president and CEO, said: "We are delighted to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026." He added that the sport had again shown its ability to "adapt, find solutions, and deliver," and called the move "fantastic news" for fans because they will "continue to enjoy a full and exciting Formula 1 calendar" while also seeing F1 return to Sepang.
The agreement allows F1 to hold the 2026 schedule at 23 races for now and eases the pressure created by the wider calendar disruption. Multiple reports said the series is trying to avoid dropping below 22 races because of broadcaster and commercial commitments, with uncertainty still hanging over the planned season-ending rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.