Formula 1 will return to Malaysia for the first time in nine years after organizers approved the relocation of the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix, allowing the race to proceed despite ongoing security concerns stemming from the conflict in the Middle East.
Formula 1 and the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) announced in a joint statement on Sunday that the event will be held at Sepang International Circuit from October 2 to 4, fitting into the calendar between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix.
The Bahrain Grand Prix had originally been scheduled for April but was postponed following the outbreak of hostilities involving the United States and Iran. Bahrain had sought to reschedule the race for early October, but continuing regional instability made staging the event in the Gulf uncertain.
Under the agreement reached by Formula 1, the FIA, and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia, the race will instead be hosted at Sepang, preserving a Grand Prix that organizers said would otherwise have been impossible to stage.
The agreement remains subject to final regulatory approvals, including ratification by the FIA World Motor Sport Council.
The conflict also forced the postponement of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, which had likewise been scheduled for April.
Despite the disruption, Formula 1 said it still intends to hold the Qatar Grand Prix in late November and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December as originally planned.
Malaysia last hosted a Formula 1 race in 2017, ending an 18-year run at Sepang after rising hosting costs and declining ticket sales prompted organizers to withdraw from the championship calendar.
Opened in 1999, Sepang International Circuit was long regarded as one of Formula 1's most technically demanding venues and a regular fixture on the championship schedule.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed the sport's return, saying the country is fully prepared to host Formula 1, the FIA, participating teams, and fans from around the world.
He added that the agreement reflects the close relationship between Malaysia and Bahrain while ensuring that the postponed Grand Prix remains on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar.
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