After a nine‑year absence, Formula 1 makes its return to the popular Sepang International Circuit as Malaysia hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Bahrain could not hold its race in April at the Sakhir circuit due to the Middle‑East conflict, so an agreement was reached to stage the event in Malaysia instead.
Malaysia previously hosted a Grand Prix in 2017, which was won by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen; the Sepang circuit is widely regarded as one of the finest modern tracks.
The event forms the second leg of the season’s opening flyaway triple‑header, following George Russell’s narrow victory over Verstappen in Baku.
Kimi Antonelli recorded fifth place after a qualifying crash, reducing his championship lead to 66 points with eight rounds remaining, while Lewis Hamilton trails by 103 points and Lando Norris by 116 points; McLaren is expected to perform strongly at the high‑speed Sepang circuit.
Malaysia is seven hours ahead of the United Kingdom, and the timing of key sessions at Sepang allows convenient breakfast‑time viewing: qualifying begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday and the race starts at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia – Dates, UK Start Times and Live Coverage
Thursday, 1 October
7:00 a.m.: Drivers’ Press Conference
10:00 a.m.: Paddock Uncut
Friday, 2 October
5:00 a.m.: Bahrain GP Practice One (session starts at 5:30 a.m.)* (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
7:30 a.m.: Team Bosses’ Press Conference
8:45 a.m.: Bahrain GP Practice Two (session starts at 9:00 a.m.)* (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
10:15 a.m.: The F1 Show
Saturday, 3 October
5:15 a.m.: Bahrain GP Practice Three (session starts at 5:30 a.m.)* (also on Sky Sports Main Event)
8:00 a.m.: Bahrain GP Qualifying build‑up
9:00 a.m.: Bahrain GP Qualifying
Sunday, 4 October
6:30 a.m.: Grand Prix Sunday build‑up
8:00 a.m.: The Bahrain Grand Prix
10:00 a.m.: Chequered Flag: Bahrain GP reaction
The F1 Drivers’ Championship ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Sepang International Circuit track layout
F1’s drivers are certainly excited about the sport’s return to Sepang – and no wonder.
The sweeping, aerodynamically demanding 3.44-mile layout was the first all-new track designed by F1’s now-resident architect Hermann Tilke and quickly made its mark when it staged its inaugural Grand Prix in 1999, with the facility as a whole changing the game for what Formula 1 venues needed to be like in future.
The 15-corner track quickly proved popular with drivers and fans for both the array of impressive medium and high-speed corner sequences, plus the now-common combination of long straights into wide, heavy braking zones.
The long curved run through Turn Three to the Turn Four right-hander, the fast left-right flicks of Turns Five and Six and the sweeping, technical corners of the final sector leading onto the half-mile back straight down to the final turn, a hairpin, all represent key aspects of the lap.
Bahrain GP weather in Sepang
Tropical Malaysia guarantees heat, humidity – and the threat of thunderstorms. Sunny one minute, the scene of a huge downpour the next, F1 teams will have to be sharp with their weather radars this weekend.
Will we finally get a wet qualifying or Grand Prix in 2026?
Rain has often affected F1 races in Malaysia since it joined the F1 calendar in 1999
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