F1 Returns to Sepang After Nine Years as Malaysia Steps in to Host the Bahrain GP
Formula 1 returns to the Sepang International Circuit this weekend for the first time since 2017, but the race itself carries a different name on the entry list. Regional circumstances meant the Bahrain Grand Prix couldn't go ahead at its usual home this year, and rather than drop it from the calendar altogether, F1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia reached an agreement to stage it at Sepang instead. The event will be run as the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, a Grand Prix with one country's name on it, held in another's backyard.
The last time the series was here, it was also the last Malaysian Grand Prix full stop. On 1 October 2017, Max Verstappen passed pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton on lap four and controlled the race from there for his second career win, with Daniel Ricciardo completing a Red Bull one-two-adjacent podium in third. That weekend also marked Pierre Gasly's F1 debut, stepping into Daniil Kvyat's seat at Toro Rosso.
Nine years is a long time in Formula 1 terms, and it shows on the current grid. Of the 22 drivers heading to Malaysia this weekend, only 10; Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso, Hulkenberg, Perez, Stroll, Gasly, Ocon, Sainz and Bottas, were actually on track for that 2017 race. For the other 12, Sepang will effectively be a new circuit to learn from scratch, with no personal reference points to fall back on heading into Friday practice.
Off track, the headline news belongs to Mercedes. After largely sticking to small, race-specific tweaks since their last major package back in Canada, the team is bringing a substantial upgrade to Malaysia, said to be focused mainly on the floor and bodywork. Rumours around the paddock put the gain at as much as three tenths of a second, which would be a significant step if it translates to the track.
There's also a changing of the guard taking shape at Haas. Esteban Ocon has confirmed he won't be with the team next year, and is now a free agent on the 2027 market hoping to land a seat elsewhere rather than step away from the grid altogether. F2 points leader Rafael Camara is the name being talked about most as his likely replacement, with Haas expected to make a call on its 2027 line-up in the coming weeks. It adds an extra storyline to watch for Ocon this weekend, racing for a team he already knows he's leaving, with his own future for next season still an open question.
Aston Martin head into this Sepang weekend with their 2027 line-up already settled, having confirmed that both Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll will remain with the team. It brings an end to speculation that had followed Alonso in particular for much of the season, with his future repeatedly linked to a possible move elsewhere or even retirement. Instead, the Spaniard and his Canadian teammate will continue together into a fourth season as a pairing, giving Aston Martin stability heading into a driver market that's still shuffling elsewhere on the grid.