Formula One's Bahrain Grand Prix is taking place thousands of miles away from Bahrain this weekend, bringing the sport back to Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit nine years after the country walked away from F1 over its cost.
Sepang will host the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia from 2 to 4 October, marking its first championship event since the final Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017.
The unusual arrangement revives a circuit whose former boss once said Formula One was 'not worth the investment' as Malaysia faced declining ticket sales, television audiences and questions over the race's financial returns.
Why Bahrain GP Is Racing In Malaysia
Formula One and the FIA announced in July that Sepang would step in to host the Bahrain Grand Prix. The agreement between F1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia preserved a race that otherwise would not have taken place.
Despite being held at Sepang, the event officially remains the Bahrain Grand Prix rather than becoming a revived Malaysian Grand Prix. That means Malaysia's first Formula One weekend since 2017 arrives under another country's race name.
Sepang originally joined the championship in 1999 and hosted 19 Malaysian Grands Prix before disappearing from the calendar.
Malaysia Once Questioned F1's Value
The comeback is particularly striking given the circumstances surrounding Sepang's departure. Malaysia ended its Formula One deal early after deciding the financial returns no longer justified hosting the race.
Then-Sepang International Circuit chief executive Razlan Razali was especially blunt during the final weekend in 2017. Discussing whether Malaysia could be persuaded to continue, Razali questioned the appeal of the product and said it was 'not worth the investment at the moment'.
Declining ticket sales and television audiences, alongside concerns about the race's financial returns, were among the reasons Malaysia pulled the plug. Nine years later, Formula One has changed significantly, and Sepang is temporarily back at the centre of the championship.
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When To Watch the Bahrain GP at Sepang
The weekend follows Formula One's traditional format, with three practice sessions followed by qualifying and Sunday's Grand Prix.
All times below are Malaysia Time (MYT, UTC+8).
- Friday, 2 October: First Practice begins at 12:30pm, followed by Second Practice at 4:00pm.
- Saturday, 3 October: Third Practice starts at 12:30pm, before Qualifying determines the grid from 4:00pm.
- Sunday, 4 October: The Bahrain Grand Prix begins at 3:00pm, with drivers completing 56 laps of the 5.543-kilometre Sepang International Circuit.
A Different F1 Returns to Sepang
Only 10 of the 22 current drivers have previously raced an F1 car at Sepang, leaving more than half preparing for their first Formula One weekend at the Malaysian circuit.
Max Verstappen won the last Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017, while Lewis Hamilton took pole.
Teams also have little relevant track data for the current generation of cars, adding another unknown alongside Sepang's heat, humidity and rain threat, with showers possible throughout the weekend.
Current forecasts put the chance of rain at 50% on Friday, 40% on Saturday and 30% for Sunday's race.
For Malaysia, the weekend is not confirmation that its own Grand Prix is permanently returning. Instead, Sepang has received an unexpected opportunity to host Formula One again without reviving the Malaysian Grand Prix itself.
Nine years after the economics helped push F1 away, Bahrain's displaced race has brought the championship back to the very circuit once considered too difficult to justify.
