Sepang Preview: What to Watch as Malaysia Welcomes F1 Back
F1 returns to Sepang for the first time since 2017 as the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix. Storylines, weather watch and strategy variables for Round 16.
Key takeaway
Round 16 of the 2026 season is the Bahrain Grand Prix, held at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit from 2–4 October after the April race in Sakhir was called off. It is F1's first visit to Sepang since 2017. Kimi Antonelli arrives with a 66-point lead over George Russell.
Formula 1 goes back to Sepang this weekend — just not quite the way anyone expected. Round 16 carries the name Bahrain Grand Prix, but it will be run at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit on 2–4 October. The April race in Sakhir was called off because of the conflict in the region, and Malaysia stepped in to host. It is F1’s first race at Sepang since 2017.
The title fight: 66 points and eight rounds
Kimi Antonelli leads the championship on 302 points. His Mercedes team-mate George Russell is second on 236 after winning in Baku. Russell needs Antonelli to have a bad weekend, because matching his results won’t close the gap in time. We ran the numbers in Antonelli’s 66-Point Cushion, Examined.
Five storylines for Sepang
- Verstappen’s momentum. He finished 0.196s from victory in Baku after starting eighth. A track with long straights and heavy braking zones could suit Red Bull again, and he won the last Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017.
- Hadjar’s encore. Isack Hadjar took a podium on his comeback from injury. Can he keep that up at a track most of the grid barely knows?
- McLaren’s reset. Norris retired and Piastri finished 13th in Baku. McLaren are third in the constructors’ standings and can’t afford another weekend like it.
- Colapinto’s grid drop. Franco Colapinto has a five-place grid penalty here, carried over from an unserved penalty in Baku.
- A track half the grid has never raced. Around half of the current drivers have never raced an F1 car at Sepang, and nobody has driven this generation of car here. Expect Friday practice to matter more than usual.
Weather watch
Sepang is hot and humid, and afternoon thunderstorms are common. A heavy downpour can go from dry to flooded in minutes. That matters for strategy. Teams that keep their options open on tyres and react quickly to the radar tend to gain at circuits like this.
Strategy variables
- Tyre degradation: high track temperatures and long, loaded corners are hard on the rear tyres.
- Energy deployment: under the 2026 rules, how well a car harvests and deploys electrical energy on the two long straights will decide both overtaking and defending.
- Safety cars: the track has plenty of run-off, but a sudden rain shower can bring neutralisations.
Circuit at a glance
| Circuit | Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur |
| Lap length | 5.543 km |
| Race distance | 56 laps |
| Last F1 race | 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix |
| Race day | Sunday 4 October 2026 |
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FAQ
Why is the Bahrain Grand Prix being held in Malaysia?
The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix scheduled for April 2026 were called off because of the conflict in the region. F1 and the FIA later confirmed that the Bahrain Grand Prix would be staged at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on 2–4 October, with Bahrain keeping the event's proceeds.
When is the 2026 race at Sepang?
The race weekend runs 2–4 October 2026, with the Grand Prix on Sunday 4 October. It is Round 16 of 23.
When did F1 last race at Sepang?
The last Formula 1 race at Sepang was the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix, won by Max Verstappen.