🏁 FORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IN MALAYSIA 2026-Race (Virtual Live)

I have just met up with The Three Lions to sort out the SkySportsF1 streaming so no reason to expect a repeat of last Saturday’s issue with the Azerbaijan GP🤞

🏁 Bahrain GP... in Malaysia?! — Watch Party!
The weirdest name on the calendar, and the coolest comeback story of the season.

Instead of racing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, the championship will visit the Sepang International Circuit from October 2–4, with the event officially titled the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Why Bahrain in Malaysia?

The decision is the result of changes to the 2026 calendar following the situation in the Middle East. Formula 1 and the FIA had already announced in March that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix would not take place during their originally scheduled April period after evaluating the regional circumstances and prioritizing the safety and wellbeing of everyone involved.

Rather than simply losing the Bahrain round, Formula 1 later reached an agreement with Bahrain and Malaysia to stage the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang later in the season. The agreement involved Formula 1, the FIA, the Governments of Bahrain and Malaysia.

So this is not simply being promoted as the Malaysian Grand Prix. The event retains the Bahrain identity and is officially called the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Bahrain therefore remains the nominal host, while Malaysia provides the circuit and physical location.

It slots in as Round 16, perfectly placed between Azerbaijan and Singapore for the Asian leg — no freight nightmare, just a smart save.

The Sepang legacy — why old heads are buzzing:

F1 hasn't raced here since 2017, ending a 19-race run from 1999-2017, but Sepang was that track:

The monsoon madness. Sepang hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix giving the sport an early foothold in Southeast Asia and producing memorable races often run in extreme heat or sudden monsoon downpours. The 2009 race was stopped after 31 laps when monsoon rain made the track undriveable — half points awarded.

The greats owned it. Sebastian Vettel stands out as the most successful driver here with four victories, while Michael Schumacher won three times in the early Ferrari dominance years, and Fernando Alonso also claimed three with his wet-weather mastery.

The last winner. Max Verstappen was the last driver to win at Sepang in 2017. Half the current grid has never raced here in F1.

Why this one is unmissable:

It's a 5.543km beast. 56 laps, 310.398km of long straights, heavy braking zones and fast sweeping corners designed by Hermann Tilke. Wide track = multiple racing lines = overtakes.

Weather is the wildcard. High heat, brutal humidity, and that sudden tropical downpour that can flip a race on its head. 2026 cars + Sepang + rain? Chaos incoming.

History, twice. First F1 race at Sepang in 9 years, and the first-ever Bahrain GP held outside Bahrain.

Grab a pint, have some grub, and let's watch F1 go home again — Bahrain's race, Malaysia's temple of speed. See you Sunday!