Formula 1 is heading back to Sepang this weekend for the first time in nine years, with the Malaysian circuit stepping in to host the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The track hosted 19 Malaysian Grands Prix between 1999 and 2017 and is known for its fast, flowing layout, overtaking opportunities and brutal heat and humidity. With 2026 yet to see a fully wet session, the possibility of rain adds another unknown to the weekend.
Fernando Alonso, who has won at Sepang three times, called his return a “golden ticket”, while Lewis Hamilton described the circuit as physically demanding. Max Verstappen, the winner of the final Malaysian GP in 2017, also welcomed the return despite joking that he was happy to have won the last race there.
For more than half of the current grid, this will be their first F1 race at Sepang. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli expects heavy tyre degradation, extreme heat and potentially rain to make the weekend a major challenge.
