F1 might bring back another famous track this year after confirming Malaysia’s exciting return.
Formula 1 has announced that Malaysia’s Sepang track might host an F1 race later this year, the first time since 2017. Fans could also see the return of another classic track for the season finale.
The Sepang circuit, near Kuala Lumpur, is expected to hold an event linked to the Bahrain Grand Prix from October 2 to 4. However, this still needs official approval, including from the FIA.
This news comes after the Saudi Arabian and Bahrain Grands Prix were canceled in March because of the conflict in the Middle East. People hoped the conflict would be over by the end of the 2026 F1 season, but things have recently worsened, raising concerns about the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
If these last races get canceled, it would create big problems for the 11 F1 teams and TV broadcasters. According to agreements, the season must have at least 22 races.
So, ESPN reported that F1 is considering replacing the Qatar and Abu Dhabi races with two European tracks: Imola in Italy and Portimao in Portugal. Imola seems more likely, since the Portuguese Grand Prix will return in 2027, and the Portimao circuit is currently upgrading its facilities.
Formula 1 has a long history with many tracks worldwide, including Imola and Portugal. The Italian circuit has had different names over the years. It was called the San Marino Grand Prix from 1981 to 2006, then the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from 2020 until last year. Since then, five F1 races have been held there, with Max Verstappen winning four and Lewis Hamilton winning the comeback race.
Imola is also known for a sad moment in F1 history — it’s where three-time world champion Ayrton Senna crashed in 1994, leading to his death.
The Portimao track is newer to F1, hosting only the 2020 and 2021 seasons. Hamilton won both races there, but Portugal has hosted F1 races for much longer. The first was in 1951 at the Boavista circuit, won by Ferrari’s Casimiro de Oliveira.
Between 1984 and 1996, the Portuguese Grand Prix was held every year at the Estoril circuit, with legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost, and Senna all winning there.