F1 Adds Malaysian GP as Replacement for Cancelled Middle East Events Formula 1 announced on Sunday that the Malaysian Grand Prix will return to the 2026 calendar, marking its first edition since 2017. The race, now officially titled the “Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia,” will be held on October 4, forming a tripleheader with the Azerbaijan and Singapore GPs in late September and early October. This decision comes as a replacement for the canceled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix events, which were disrupted by the ongoing Middle East conflict. The season’s schedule now includes three tripleheaders, stretching the calendar to nine races over 11 weeks, with the final race set for Abu Dhabi on December 6. However, the Abu Dhabi finale and the Qatar GP, scheduled for November 29, remain uncertain due to the same geopolitical tensions. The Malaysian race was chosen as a replacement after the Bahrain GP’s reinstatement in the October 4 slot became unfeasible following a breakdown in the ceasefire agreement between the involved parties. Malaysia’s proximity to Singapore—approximately one hour’s flight from Kuala Lumpur—was cited as a key logistical advantage, easing the challenges of organizing the race with just 10 weeks’ notice. The Sepang International Circuit, which hosted the Malaysian GP from 1999 to 2017, will once again serve as the venue. Max Verstappen’s 2017 victory for Red Bull remains the most recent result from the track. The decision to include the Malaysian GP also addresses a 35-day gap between the Japanese GP in late March and the Miami GP in early May, which had been created by the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races.#ferrari #formula_1 #sepang_international_circuit #malaysian_gp #bahrain_gp
