Malaysia Weighs up F1 2026 Round as Rescheduled Bahrain GP Plan Fades
F1 is weighing Sepang as a backup after Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were postponed, with the calendar still unsettled as regional hostilities continue.
- Formula is considering a return to the Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur as a contingency for the 2026 season, with Malaysia last hosting the sport in 2017 and the track currently hosting MotoGP events.
- Following the US-Iran ceasefire ending, regional instability forced Formula to seek calendar additions after April cancellations in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia left the sport with only 22 confirmed races for 2026.
- The Times reports officials must finalize plans within the next week for logistical reasons; proximity to Singapore makes a Europe-Asia triple-header feasible between Azerbaijan and Singapore in late September and early October.
- High hosting fees are delaying end-of-season scheduling decisions, as Abu Dhabi pays an estimated $42m annually for the final race, while Istanbul Park remains another potential contingency option for 2027 onward.
- Portugal remains another contingency destination for 2026, with The Algarve International Circuit under consideration after the Las Vegas race; the track last hosted Formula in the Covid-impacted 2021 season on a two-year deal.
33 Articles
33 Articles
Malaysia back in Formula 1 frame as Bahrain hopes recede amid conflict in region
The Malaysian Grand Prix could return to the Formula 1 calendar as a stand-in this season as hopes of racing in Bahrain recede because of conflict in the region, informed sources said on Thursday. April grands prix at Sakhir, Bahrain, and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, were both called off because of the Iran war, reducing the calendar initially from 24 to 22 grands prix, but attempts to reschedule a round in Bahrain had looked promising until the situ…
The Formula 1 World Championship canceled the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs at the start of the season due to security concerns, but is now considering replacements for them this season.
Malaysia govt studying possible F1 return to Sepang as Bahrain replacement, says youth and sports minister
KUALA LUMPUR, July 24 — The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) is conducting discussions and assessing the possibility of Formula One (F1) returning to the Sepang International...
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