The official 2026 Formula 1 calendar lists round 16 as the Bahrain Grand Prix. It will be held at Sepang, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, 6,000km from Bahrain. The relocation is one of the more unusual entries in the sport’s history, and the explanation is partly in what the FIA has said and partly in what it has carefully not said. Here is what is known.
What happened
The season began with Bahrain in its traditional slot and the round was subsequently moved, keeping its name and its commercial identity while changing its venue to the Sepang International Circuit for Sunday 4 October. The FIA has framed the situation in terms of the wider Middle East, with president Mohammed Ben Sulayem saying the governing body will not “jump the gun” over cancelling the region’s races. That phrasing was reported by RaceFans in early September and it is as specific as the sport has been. The round in Bahrain could not go ahead as planned, Malaysia could host at short notice, and the season’s remaining Middle Eastern rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi are, for now, unchanged.
Why Sepang
Malaysia was the practical answer for reasons of geography and readiness. Sepang hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix for 19 years until 2017 and remains a working international circuit with MotoGP as its anchor event, so the infrastructure, the licence and the operational experience were all in place. Its position on the calendar, a week after Baku and a week before Singapore, fits the season’s Asian swing without adding freight distance, and the government had made clear for years that it would welcome the race back if terms could be agreed. Our Sepang circuit guide covers what the drivers, most of whom have never raced there, will find.
Why the name stays
Race titles in Formula 1 are contractual. The Bahrain Grand Prix exists as a commercial agreement between the sport and its promoter, and moving the venue does not automatically move the name. Precedents exist: the 2020 pandemic season produced a Sakhir Grand Prix, a Tuscan Grand Prix and a 70th Anniversary Grand Prix, all created to fit circumstances. A Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia is stranger than any of those, and the paddock is calling it the Malaysian Grand Prix regardless.
What it means for the calendar
The 2026 calendar still has 23 rounds, so the relocation cost nothing in race count. The bigger question is 2027 and beyond. Bahrain has been on the calendar since 2004 and has hosted pre-season testing for years, and its long-term contract runs well into the next decade. Qatar and Abu Dhabi have similar arrangements. The FIA’s refusal to speculate suggests it expects the situation to resolve, but the sport has shown it can rearrange a season at short notice, and a permanent Malaysian return is no longer unthinkable if the Middle East picture changes.
The racing question
Whatever the politics, Sepang is a circuit drivers rated highly, with two long straights and tropical weather that produced some of the most dramatic races of its era. Its return on 4 October gives the 2026 championship a wildcard round on a track where only Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton among current drivers have significant experience. If the championship arithmetic is still open, that unfamiliarity could matter. If it is not, Malaysia gets a Grand Prix it did not expect and will very much want to keep.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix?
At Sepang in Malaysia on 4 October, keeping the Bahrain title on the official calendar.
Why was it moved?
Amid uncertainty over racing in the Middle East. The FIA said it would not rush decisions on the region’s races.
Are Qatar and Abu Dhabi still on?
Yes, on 29 November and 6 December, with the FIA saying it will not jump the gun on changes.
When did F1 last race in Malaysia?
2017, after 19 years of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
