Malaysia Replaces Bahrain on F1 October Calendar
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- Sepang track near Kuala Lumpur is set to host a race on 2-4 October as a replacement for Bahrain, officially presented as the Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia; Sepang was last on the calendar in 2017.
- Formula 1 arranged the Malaysian venue but the deal has not yet gone through formal sign-off with governing body the FIA, with an official announcement expected as early as Sunday.
- Bahrain and Saudi Arabia's April races were postponed in March after the USA and Israel launched their war against Iran, forcing F1 to seek alternative venues.
- The October schedule will pack three consecutive weekends of racing in Azerbaijan, Malaysia, and Singapore.
- Season-ending Qatar and Abu Dhabi races remain in doubt with a decision deadline of September; Imola in Italy is the most likely fallback venue.
- Portimao (Portugal) and Istanbul Park (Turkey) are also under consideration for an end-of-season slot but rated significantly less likely due to unfinished construction work ahead of their planned 2026 returns.
- F1 needs at least 21 races this season; dropping from the original 24-race calendar to 20 would activate contractual clauses forcing the sport to repay rights fees to broadcasters and potentially refund team sponsorship budgets.
Why it matters: The Middle East war has now cost F1 four of its 24 originally scheduled races, dropping the calendar to 20 — one below the 21-race minimum that would force F1 to pay rights fees back to broadcasters and refund team sponsorship budgets. Malaysia's Sepang saves the season from immediate contractual damage, but the November-December Qatar and Abu Dhabi races remain unresolved with Imola being lined up as backup.
