'2025 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix' to now be held at Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia; from 2-4 October 2026

Formula 1 will bring the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix to Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on October 4, marking an unusual calendar change triggered by disruptions to earlier Middle East races and restoring the championship to a familiar Malaysian venue.

The race near Kuala Lumpur International Airport will officially be called the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, according to Formula 1’s announcement at the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The decision follows the cancellation of the April Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, both of which were affected by the Iran war and broader instability in the Middle East.

Formula 1 said the agreement involved the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain, as well as the FIA and the sport’s commercial rights holder. The event still requires final approval from the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council.

Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali described the arrangement as positive for fans, saying the championship would retain a full calendar while also returning to a venue with strong history in the series.

Verstappen (left) giving Lewis Hamilton a hard time.

Sepang last hosted Formula 1 in 2017 (won by Max Verstappen) although the circuit remains a major international motorsport venue and is a regular stop for MotoGP. The Malaysian track first entered F1’s global identity in the late 1990s and early 2000s as one of the sport’s most recognisable modern venues.

The late move also restores the 2025 championship to 23 races - enough to satisfy the contractual obligations of 22 races in a calendar year - although there is still uncertainty around the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

If those Middle Eastern races are also affected, Italy’s Imola has been mentioned as a possible replacement finale. For now, though, the Sepang race fills the gap between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 26 and the Singapore Grand Prix on October 11.

Formula 1 noted that there are precedents for races running under another country’s name when circumstances require it. The naming arrangement is intended to preserve the Bahrain branding while shifting the event to Malaysia for this one-off reschedule.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is the kingdom’s biggest annual sporting event and an important international showcase. Sources cited by Reuters indicated Bahrain would cover most of the rescheduling costs, consistent with the usual model in which host countries pay substantial fees to stage a Formula 1 race.