After a nine-year absence, Formula 1 returns to the hugely popular Sepang International Circuit as Malaysia hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix. Bahrain were unable to stage their race in April at their own Sakhir track owing to the conflict in the Middle East but a deal was struck for Malaysia to stage the event instead. Malaysia last hosted a race in 2017, won by Red Bull's Max Verstappen, with the fast, flowing Sepang circuit considered one of the very best of the newer generation of tracks.
It stages the second leg of the season's first flyaway triple header after George Russell got his title hopes back on track with victory by less than two tenths from Verstappen last time out in Baku. Kimi Antonelli limited the damage with fifth after crashing in qualifying but saw his lead cut to 66 points with eight rounds remaining, while Lewis Hamilton is 103 points adrift and Lando Norris is 116 points back, but McLaren are expected to be strong at the high-speed Sepang International Circuit. Malaysia is seven hours ahead of the UK but the scheduling of the key sessions at Sepang means convenient weekend breakfast-time viewing on Sky Sports F1 with Qualifying at 9am on Saturday and the Grand Prix at 8am on Sunday.
F1's drivers are certainly excited about the sport's return to Sepang - and no wonder. The sweeping, aerodynamically demanding 3.44-mile layout was the first all-new track designed by F1's now-resident architect Hermann Tilke and quickly made its mark when it staged its inaugural Grand Prix in 1999, with the facility as a whole changing the game for what Formula 1 venues needed to be like in future. The 15-corner track quickly proved popular with drivers and fans for both the array of impressive medium and high-speed corner sequences, plus the now-common combination of long straights into wide, heavy braking zones.
The long curved run through Turn Three to the Turn Four right-hander, the fast left-right flicks of Turns Five and Six and the sweeping, technical corners of the final sector leading onto the half-mile back straight down to the final turn, a hairpin, all represent key aspects of the lap. Tropical Malaysia guarantees heat, humidity - and the threat of thunderstorms. Sunny one minute, the scene of a huge downpour the next, F1 teams will have to be sharp with their weather radars this weekend.
Will we finally get a wet qualifying or Grand Prix in 2026? Thursday October 17am: Drivers' Press Conference10am: Paddock Uncut Friday October 25am: Bahrain GP Practice One (session starts at 5.30am)*7.30am: Team Bosses' Press Conference8.45am: Bahrain GP Practice Two (session starts at 9am)*10.15am: The F1 Show* Saturday October 35.15am: Bahrain GP Practice Three (session starts at 5.30am)*8am: Bahrain GP Qualifying build-up*9am: BAHRAIN GP QUALIFYING* Sunday October 46.30am: Grand Prix Sunday: Bahrain GP build-up*8am: THE BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX*10am: Chequered Flag: Bahrain GP reaction* TV: Sky Customers can watch on Sky Sports F1 from first practice on Friday morning to the Bahrain Grand Prix itself on Sunday October 4 at 8am App: Sky Customers can also watch on the Sky Sports app - with the option to go onboard with any driver! Stream: Non-Sky Customers can stream the action with a NOW Day or a cancel-anytime Month pass Live blog: Anyone on the move can follow live coverage of the race weekend through our dedicated F1 blog FREE Highlights: Watch F1 highlights shortly after the chequered flag on the Sky Sports app *Sky iD help: How to find or create your Sky iD NOW is an instant streaming service offering access to all 12 Sky Sports channels, every Sky Sports+ stream, and much more.
It's an app, so customers can sign up and stream instantly across over 60 devices. It offers contract-free membership options, so customers can cancel anytime! You can choose between a Month or Day Membership.
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