The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix will be held at Sepang in Malaysia despite retaining its official Bahrain Grand Prix title. The unusual change of venue follows the decision to move the event after Sakhir could not host the race on its original date of 12 April.
The Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir had been scheduled to host the Bahrain Grand Prix, as it has done since 2004 apart from 2011. The event was originally planned as part of a double-header with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix the following week.
However, military action by the United States and Israel against Iran during February and March led to a war and severe travel disruption across the Middle East and Persian Gulf. A Pirelli Formula 1 tyre test in Bahrain was also abandoned after the situation escalated, while a US Navy base in Bahrain was hit by Iranian missiles.
Formula 1 subsequently postponed the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix. Crucially, both events were not immediately cancelled, with Formula 1 stating that they could not take place on their original dates. That decision left open the possibility of rescheduling the races later in the 2026 season.
Ultimately, Bahrain returned to the calendar while Saudi Arabia did not. With the Sakhir event unable to take place at its original venue, Sepang was selected to host the race. The Malaysian circuit last staged Formula 1 in 2017 and will now return as the venue for the Bahrain Grand Prix.
The arrangement means Sepang is effectively hosting the event on Bahrain's behalf, while the official name remains the Bahrain Grand Prix. Similar arrangements have appeared in F1 history, most notably when Imola hosted the San Marino Grand Prix despite being located in Italy between 1981 and 2006.
However, F1 CEO and President Stefano Domenicali has ruled out using the same arrangement for future races. As a result, the Qatar Grand Prix and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix would not be staged under those titles at alternative venues if Lusail or Yas Marina were unable to host them.
The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang is therefore an exceptional calendar solution created after circumstances prevented Sakhir from hosting the event on its original date. Bahrain retains the event title, while Malaysia provides the circuit for the race.
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