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Half of F1 Grid Faces Unknown as Sepang Returns After Nine-Year Absence

  • Formula One returns to Sepang International Circuit this weekend for the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia after Liberty Media relocated the race from Sakhir due to the Iran war and Middle East situation.
  • After a nine-year hiatus, the sport returns to the Malaysian venue that last hosted a race in 2017, when the Malaysian government ended hosting duties citing declining returns.
  • Pirelli warned teams the surface remains "relatively abrasive" with roughness comparable to Bahrain; the 5.543-km circuit features long straights and high-speed corners over 56 laps.
  • Only 10 of the 22 drivers have previously raced in Malaysia, leaving Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri among those learning the track for the first time.
  • Heat and humidity make tyre management crucial while creating physical demands, and the ever-present threat of sudden rainfall could disrupt race strategies for teams like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull.
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78 Articles

Right

Sepang gives a short comeback in the race calendar. Why it still remains the Bahrain-GP and how there have been several curious decisions there in the past. A review with interesting facts.

·Vienna, Austria
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The failure of the races on the Persian Gulf hit the racing series hard. Bahrain's Grand Prix in Malaysia is now being made up for – but further difficult decisions are pending.

·Munich, Germany
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Lean Left

Formula 1 will have, from this Friday, Bahrain's GP in the spotlights. The curious thing is that, despite the name, the stage will be played about 6,000 km from the country.

·São Paulo, Brazil
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The IndependentThe Independent
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The Independent (US)The Independent (US)
Lean Left

Why is Malaysia hosting the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix?

Round 16 takes place at the Sepang circuit in Kuala Lumpur, returning to the calendar after a nine-year absence

·London, United Kingdom
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Nextgen-Auto.com broke the news on Monday, September 28, 2026.
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