Why F1's return to 'intense' Sepang offers 'chaotic' race potential

Why Malaysia is staging the Bahrain Grand Prix and why Formula 1 drivers are excited about the sport racing on the Sepang International Circuit again; watch Formula 1's return to Malaysia live on Sky Sports from Friday, with Sunday's race at 8am

Ask a Formula 1 driver or fan anytime over the last nine years what track they would most like to see return to the sport's calendar, and there was a good chance that Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit would get mentioned.

So those who have been hoping that Sepang would one day return get their wish this weekend as, for the first time since 2017, Formula 1 cars will race on the fast, flowing 3.44-mile track on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

We take a look at how that has unexpectedly come about and what to expect from the race weekend...

The first thing to explain is how Malaysia has ended up as the host of Bahrain's Grand Prix.

The Bahrain Grand Prix at the Gulf country's own Sakhir track had been scheduled to take place on April 12 but the war in the Middle East saw both their race and Saudi Arabia's, which was scheduled for the week after, called off.

But a subsequent agreement in July between the Bahrain and Malaysian governments, plus F1 and the FIA, paved the way for the Bahrain GP to still take place, albeit over 3,000 miles from its usual location, at Sepang.

It has been slotted into what was a free weekend in the schedule between last week's race in Azerbaijan and next week's in Singapore, which neighbours Malaysia.

With Bahrain covering most of the cost, the event runs under the official title of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

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"It makes sense because the relationship between Bahrain and Malaysia has been strong. Malaysia's fantastic, Sepang's fantastic," said Sheikh Salman bin Isa Al Khalifa, chief executive of the Bahrain International Circuit to Sky Sports F1 .

"For us and F1 it's important that we are on the calendar. We went from 24 races to 22 then there were concern about other races so it's important for everyone, not just for F1 but the sponsors and the teams."

The track - located in the town of Sepang to the south of Kuala Lumpur and close to the capital's international airport - proved a gamechanger for modern Formula 1 venues when it staged the inaugural Malaysian Grand Prix in October 1999.

The 15-turn track features a combination of medium-high speed corners, two long straights and wide braking zones, offering both a stern challenge for car and driver, plus the possibility of overtaking.

"The track itself has got a really nice flow to it," explains Sky Sports F1's Jamie Chadwick, who raced at Sepang in the F3 Asian Championship.

"I think the track itself is kind of one that I think all the drivers are going to enjoy. It's got a little bit of China in it, a little bit of Budapest I think in a couple of places.

"You've got two decently long straights kind of into each other so the way that they'll manage the energy deployment for the racing I think will be good.

"A lot of the drivers will know it and remember it well from when F1 previously went there. Although the younger ones maybe not, a lot of the drivers will know it and feel familiar quite quickly."

Then there is the aspect that often made F1's annual visits to Sepang memorable: the weather.

Malaysia's tropical, humid climate means conditions can quickly shift from searing sunshine to torrential rain.

High track temperatures in dry conditions provide an intense workout for drivers, tyres and engines, while in 2009 the race was red-flagged with 25 laps remaining and never restarted after a huge downpour left cars undriveable and saw several aquaplane off the track.

"Physically it will be a bit of a shock. The humidity is pretty intense!" said Chadwick.

"Obviously they've got Singapore in and around the same time, so it's going to kind of hit them all at once, that kind of temperature and physicality of the race.

"I don't think it's going to be an easy race by any means. Like I say, the physicality, the tyres, everything is all going to be a factor."

It's fair to say that Formula 1's drivers are excited for the sport's return in Malaysia, irrespective of whether they have driven at Sepang before or not.

Lewis Hamilton has raced there 11 times in F1, claiming a joint-record five poles and winning once in 2014, and the Ferrari driver is looking forward to re-familiarising himself with both the country and track.

"Had lots of great experiences there with my previous team [who are title sponsored by Malaysian oil firm Petronas] and the track is awesome. It is a circuit that does give good racing.

"When it comes to deciding what tracks to go to in the year, that should be a part of the decision making. We want good races for fans, not ones that that you don't see any overtaking in, so I'm very much looking forward to it.

"It's a super hot circuit, one that's physically massively demanding, so I look forward to that challenge."

Red Bull's Max Verstappen was the last winner in 2017 and agrees it presents a demanding track for driver and car.

"It's a great track," said the Dutchman. "I really enjoy being there.

"It's very tough, I think just from the heat already, but also degradation will be really tough on the tyres."

Ten of the 2026's 22 F1 drivers were on the grid the last time F1 raced at Sepang (with Charles Leclerc driving for Sauber in Friday practice), while Alex Albon and Liam Lawson experienced the circuit in junior series.

Reigning world champion Lando Norris is among those whose Sepang experience is limited to the simulator.

"I've seen many races when I was younger and I was growing up. I remember doing simulator support for Fernando [Alonso] and Stoffel [Vandoorne] when they raced there.

"I remember going into the factory at midnight and driving until 7am in the morning, so it's not completely new to me, but it'll be a first time going to the circuit itself, which is exciting.

"The only thing that's not exciting is because you have no battery, the two high-speed corners that should be high-speed, you run out of battery and it's flat, so that takes away a little bit of the character that I think you should have on such an incredible track.

"Otherwise, it's a new place, and I'm looking forward to another new challenge for us."

The same inexperience is true for world championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who was only 11 years old the last time F1 raced there.

"It's always very nice as a driver to discover a new track," said the Mercedes driver, whose title lead over team-mate George Russell, another Sepang rookie, was cut to 66 points last week in Azerbaijan.