By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, July 27: Malaysia will host the Formula 1 (F1) Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) this coming Oct 2-4.
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said this followed an exchange with Prince Salman Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain, as well as Stefano Domenicali, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of F1.
“I extend my deepest appreciation to His Royal Highness, as well as the government and people of Bahrain, for the trust and confidence they have placed in Malaysia.
“We are honoured to support the Kingdom of Bahrain, Formula 1, and the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) in hosting the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit this year,” he said.
He added that the collaboration also reflects the friendship, mutual trust, and close partnership between Malaysia and the Kingdom of Bahrain, while reaffirming Malaysia’s readiness and capability to host major international events.
Anwar also said that Malaysia stands ready to welcome Formula 1, the FIA, the teams and fans from around the world back to Sepang.
“We look forward to showcasing our world-class infrastructure, operational excellence and warm hospitality, while further strengthening the bonds between our two nations through this special occasion,” said Anwar.
The matter has also been confirmed by F1 in a post made on its Facebook.
“The FIA and Formula One Management (FOM) confirm that Malaysia will join the 2026 calendar as the host venue for the Bahrain Grand Prix,” it said.
SIC hosted the Malaysian GP from 1999 to 2017 before it was removed from the calendar due to rising hosting costs and licensing fees.
This followed an article by motorsports portal The Race indicating that Malaysia could be included in the F1 calendar at short notice this year if the Iran conflict continues to cause disruptions.
German news agency dpa reported that the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races scheduled for April were postponed in mid-March following the war, reducing this season’s calendar from 24 to 22 races.
Should the final two races of the season in Qatar on Nov 29 and Abu Dhabi on Dec 6 be unable to proceed due to the conflict in West Asia, F1 management will explore several alternative options.
Previously, organisers had hoped to reschedule the Bahrain GP for the first weekend of October, between the Azerbaijan and Singapore races.
However, given renewed tensions between the United States and Iran, Malaysia and Turkey emerged as potential hosts for a replacement race on Oct 4, according to the report. — DayakDaily
