The race in Bahrain was rescheduled for April amid the US-Israel war against Iran, and will now be held in Malaysia.
Published July 26, 2026
F1 has announced that the Sepang Circuit in Malaysia will hold the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix in October.
The sports body, owned by Liberty Media, announced in a statement on Sunday that the October 4 race, to be held at a circuit near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, will be officially named the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
“This is great news for our fans,” F1 chief executive Stefano Domenicali said during the announcement at the Hungarian Grand Prix. He revealed that an agreement had been signed between the governments of Malaysia and Bahrain, as well as the governing FIA and F1.
“They will continue to enjoy a rich and exciting F1 calendar while seeing the sport return to great venues.
“Sepang holds a special place in F1’s history. Sepang provides a fantastic racing environment and will provide an unforgettable experience for fans at the circuit and watching from around the world.”
The cancellation of the April race in Sakhir and the Saudi Grand Prix in Jeddah was due to the US-Israel war against Iran and its spillover into the Middle East.
The addition of Sepang will bring the championship back to 23 races, but speculation continues as to whether the final two races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi will take place.
Hungaroring sources say Ferrari’s home circuit, Imola, Italy, is being considered as an alternative finale if the Middle East race does not take place.
The rescheduled Bahrain race will be held between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 26th and Singapore on October 11th, at a circuit that last hosted F1 in 2017 and currently hosts MotoGP.
There are several precedents for one country to hold a race in another country’s name. The Luxembourg Grand Prix was held at Germany’s Nürburgring, the San Marino Grand Prix was held at Imola for many years, and the Swiss Grand Prix was held in France.
Bahrain’s sovereign wealth fund, Mumtalakat, owns Formula 1 champion McLaren, and the Grand Prix is the kingdom’s biggest annual sporting event and helps promote Bahrain internationally.
The country, home to the US Navy’s 5th Fleet, has been under attack by Iranian missiles and drones.
The event remains subject to final agreement and approval from the FIA World Motorsport Council.
