The famous F1 track is now a top choice to come back to the calendar in 2026, in an unexpected twist.
The Malaysian Grand Prix might make a surprising comeback to the Formula 1 calendar this year, according to recent reports. The FIA canceled the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, both planned for April, because of the conflict in the Middle East, and new dates for those races haven’t been set yet.
There are a few possible openings for new races, such as between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix in September and October. Another idea is to add races after the current 22-race schedule ends, which finishes with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on December 6.
However, with the United States restarting attacks on Iran recently, it looks very unlikely that Bahrain or Saudi Arabia will host races in 2026. This was reported by The Race, which also mentioned that the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council might decide on Bahrain’s future this weekend.
What’s more exciting for F1 fans is which track could replace Bahrain. The Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia is said to be one of the top choices to host a Grand Prix in 2026, marking its return after nine years. There aren’t many other options, and Malaysia has an edge because it’s close to Singapore, which could nicely fill the gap between the Baku and Singapore races.
The Sepang circuit hosted races from 1999 to 2017 and is well-loved by fans. It’s seen some memorable moments, like Kimi Raikkonen’s first F1 win in 2003, Sergio Perez almost winning in tricky conditions in 2012, and Lewis Hamilton’s engine failure in 2016 when he was about to take the lead in the championship. The high-speed sections and last-corner hairpin make it an exciting track to watch, and it was resurfaced in 2016.
However, the organizers decided to stop hosting F1 races in 2016 due to falling ticket sales and other financial reasons. Although their contract ended in 2018, the last Malaysian Grand Prix was held in 2017. At the time, Malaysia’s culture and tourism minister said F1 had become too expensive and less appealing.
Now, eight years later, F1 has grown hugely in popularity worldwide since Liberty Media took over. If Sepang does return, ticket sales would likely be much better—even if it’s just for a one-time race.