Formula 1's return to Sepang after nearly a decade promises a race unlike any of the 19 previous Malaysian Grands Prix. The circuit was chosen to replace the cancelled Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds, and has been warmly welcomed by drivers and teams.
Most drivers had already completed simulator preparation ahead of the Azerbaijan-Malaysia-Singapore triple header. They had an early idea of what to expect, especially with the 2026 cars. Lando Norris, the 2025 world champion, even served as a simulator driver for McLaren the last time F1 raced at Sepang in 2017. "I remember going into the factory at midnight and driving until 7am to support the guys, so it's not completely new to me, but it'll be a first time going to the circuit itself," he said.
Norris highlighted the impact of the 2026 cars on Sepang's high-speed corners. He believes two corners that should be challenging are now easy due to battery limitations. "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 are easy flat, so that takes away a little bit of the character," he added. Those corners are likely Turns 5/6 and 12/13.
A different view came from Cadillac driver Sergio Perez. When asked by The Race about what the 2026 cars would do to Sepang's challenging corners, he simply replied: "We'd better not talk about it." This hints at the complexity drivers face.
Norris predicts a chaotic race with plenty of overtaking potential on the two long straights separated by the final hairpin. "I think [Sepang] will be pretty chaotic in terms of racing because of the straights and corners set-up that you have there. You'll see in some ways a similar vibe to Monza," he explained. However, not everyone agrees. Valtteri Bottas thinks overtaking will still be "quite tricky", while Red Bull team boss Laurent Mekies also doubts it will be as easy as Monza.
With massive technical regulation changes, Sepang feels like a brand-new track for teams and drivers. Energy management is crucial, and Williams predicts Sepang is around average in energy demands, similar to Canada and Austria. This adds another layer of strategy.
Sepang's return to the F1 calendar is not just about nostalgia, but about how the 2026 cars adapt to this legendary circuit. The race will be a real test for drivers and teams facing unprecedented challenges.
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