Round 16 | Bahrain

Returning to Sepang Returning to Sepang

2026 SEASON

Stepping into the breach

Slightly more than half of the world's racing circuits with an FIA Grade 1 classification host races on the original 2026 F1 calendar. Of those that remain, once unsuitable candidates for reasons of geography, climate and politics were removed, there remained a handful capable of stepping into the breach at short notice to host a Grand Prix. As far back as March, planners were beginning to pull down their file marked 'Sepang', and leaf through it thoughtfully...

On Sunday morning at the Hungarian Grand Prix, the worst-kept secret in the F1 paddock became official: the Sepang International Circuit would be hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia on 4 October. It turns the previously standalone Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix into the bookends of a triple-header. That brings with it complexities for the teams that won't be visible from the outside – but it also allows F1 to return to a much-enjoyed circuit that last hosted a Grand Prix in 2017.

RACE STARTS IN:

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ONE OF MY GREATEST RACES
The level of energy that I had to put into that race. The level of focus, and to instinctively come up with a solution to a problem that was never tested or experienced; I think it was quite a race to remember.

Fernando reminisces about Malaysia 2011

Number of corners
15
Number of laps
56
Race distance
310.408kmkm

NEED TO KNOW: BAHRAIN GP

THE CIRCUIT

THE GRAND PRIX

THE FACTS

THE TRAVEL GUIDE

LAST TIME OUT IN SEPANG

THE CIRCUIT

Sepang International Circuit is visually-dominated by the long start-finish and back-straights, which are joined by parabolic final corner around the striking Hibiscus Tower grandstand – but Sepang has greater variety than this, with low-speed turns at T1-2 and T9, and high-speed sweepers around much of the rest of the track. Previously, this has encouraged teams to pile-on the downforce – but active aero raises some interesting possibilities.

The straights themselves provide excellent overtaking opportunities, with the back straight being a straight-out drag race, but the start-finish straight, ending with the low-speed T1-T2 complex allowing a longer battle as the outside for T1 becomes the inside for T2. Good traction coming onto the straights is a crucial factor that pays back a benefit all the way down to the next braking zone.

The circuit also has a reputation of something of an engine destroyer. The beginning of October might optimistically be called the coolest time of year – but it's a relative term, with daily average minimums still likely to be 32°C. Add this to a layout where approximately two-thirds of the lap is taken at full throttle, and the power units will be placed under considerable strain. The many high speed turns also make this a place where harvest potential is likely to be poor, and the teams with a more efficient power units are likely to prosper.

THE GRAND PRIX

Located to the South-West of Kuala Lumpur, the Sepang International Circuit was the first of a new breed of race tracks, purpose built for F1 and its early-2000s global expansion. This was the original 'Tilkedrome', named after the architect Hermann Tilke, who would go on to design other new-build F1 circuits in Shanghai, Bahrain, Turkey, Abu Dhabi, Korea, India, Texas, Sochi and Saudi Arabia. It features the basic Tilke tenets of grandstand vantage points having a good view of at least two sections of track, and those tracks having generous run-off areas.

Fans don't particularly need grandstand seats to get a good view at Sepang, with the grass banks of the general admission areas (another Tilke favourite) providing excellent views – though lacking in shade or shelter, they come with some inherent risk, given the circuit's reputation for high temperatures and sudden, torrential afternoon downpours.

THE FACTS

1 | This is the 22nd F1 World Championship Bahrain Grand Prix. Sepang is the second circuit, and third circuit configuration to hold the race. All previous races have been held at Sakhir, with the GP layout used every year, except 2010, which was raced on the longer Endurance layout.

2 | There is a long-standing precedence for races under the banner of one nation being held in another nation. The 1982 Swiss Grand Prix was held at Dijon-Prenois in France; The 1997 and 1998 Luxembourg Grands Prix were held at the Nurburgring in Germany, and Imola in Italy hosted the San Marino Grand Prix every year between 1981-2006.

3 | Sepang made its F1 debut in 1999. It hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix for 19 consecutive years, with the most recent race in 2017.

4 | Sebastian Vettel is the most successful driver at Sepang, winning the Malaysian Grand Prix four times.

5 | Michael Schumacher and Fernando are next on the list with three victories each. Fernando has the distinction of taking his three victories with three different teams: Renault in 2005, McLaren in 2007 and Ferrari in 2012.

6 | Fernando also had his first pole position and first podium here, both in 2003, when he finished third.

7 | Team Ambassador Jenson Button also won this race: driving for Brawn GP he was awarded half-points in 2009 after the race was red flagged in torrential rain after 31 laps.

8 | The 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang saw track temperature for FP1 hit 61C. This is an unofficial record. When support series were racing, the track temperature touched 63°C.

THE TRAVEL GUIDE

Once F1 got into the habit of back-to-back races, the Malaysian Grand Prix became a natural race to pair, being a convenient stopping point to double-up with Bahrain, Australia, China or Japan. It would often be the race at which people arrived early or departed late, with the teams gradually migrating away from the hotels at Kuala Lumpur International Airport (next to which the track is located) and into locations a little further afield.

In this regard, fans beat the teams to it: the Malaysian Grand Prix was always a big tourist draw, and a firm favourite with fans who wanted an F1 experience a little outside the mainstream, with the beachfront hotels of Port Dickson on the straits of Malacca, and the golf course resorts of Putrajaya doing a brisk trade.

While Kuala Lumpur remains the capital city, Putrajaya is a new city, constructed as the seat of government. The centrepiece is Lake Putrajaya, a 650-hectare man-made lake and canal system designed as a natural cooling system for the city, most of which has accessible water-frontage. It's a popular centre for watersports – but also for sight-seeing and dinner cruises on traditional wooden perahu, visiting attractions such as the Seri Wawasan bridge, and the Putra Mosque (aka the Pink Mosque).

For anyone wanting to escape the heat, heading to the north of Kuala Lumpur, brings you to the Batu Caves, a series of interlinked limestone chambers, containing many Hindu temples and some truly spectacular geology. It's popular for rock climbing – but also just for wandering among the flowstone, stalagmites and stalactites.

LAST TIME OUT IN SEPANG

Aston Martin Aramco has never raced at Sepang, but both of our drivers have. Fernando holds the record for the most appearances at the circuit, having raced here on sixteen occasions, from which he has three wins (2005, 2007, 2012) and two other podiums, two poles (2003, 2005) and fastest lap in 2006. 2005 was his tenth F1 podium, and 2006 his 25th.

Lance raced here in his first year of F1, back in 2017. He started P13 for Williams and scored points, finishing P8.

Inside the cockpit