Brief
Bahrain Grand Prix staged at Malaysia's Sepang circuit on ten‑week notice
Sepang hosts a one‑off Bahrain Grand Prix after the original April race was cancelled, with Red Bull and Mercedes leading the standings.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Formula 1’s Bahrain Grand Prix was relocated to Malaysia’s Sepang circuit after the original April date was cancelled, with the event confirmed just ten weeks before the weekend.
What happened
Qualifying on Saturday saw Max Verstappen take pole, beating Lewis Hamilton by 0.3 seconds, while George Russell qualified eighth, 0.8 seconds off Verstappen’s pace. Isack Hadjar qualified third but received a five‑place grid penalty, and Franco Colapinto will start from the back after a power‑unit penalty. In practice, Charles Leclerc said the track was “very dirty and very slippery” and expected conditions to evolve.
What the reports add
The Independent notes that the Bahrain Grand Prix had been cancelled due to the war in the Middle East, prompting Bahrain to pay hosting fees so its name could be attached to the Sepang race – the first time the circuit has hosted the event in nine years. The article also mentions that George Russell’s recent win in Azerbaijan narrowed his deficit to championship leader Kimi Antonelli to 66 points, and that Antonelli, after crashing in qualifying, recovered to finish fifth.
What was said
Charles Leclerc told the outlet, “Everybody is very close. It’s been a very difficult day overall… The track conditions were very tricky. The track was quite dirty and very slippery so things will evolve and change a lot from today until tomorrow.”
How it came about
Malaysia stepped in after ending an 18‑year partnership with F1 in 2017. The Sepang International Circuit’s former CEO, Razlan Razali, had previously called a Malaysian event “hard to sell.” A surge in F1’s commercial appeal led Bahrain to secure Sepang on short notice, as detailed in Felo’s earlier coverage of the deal.
Key facts
- Max Verstappen claimed pole for the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang. (independent.co.uk)
- George Russell qualified eighth, 0.8 seconds off Verstappen's pace. (independent.co.uk)
- Bahrain paid hosting fees to attach its name to the Sepang race after the April event was cancelled. (independent.co.uk)
- Kimi Antonelli leads the drivers' standings with 302 points. (independent.co.uk)
- Charles Leclerc described the track as dirty and slippery during practice. (independent.co.uk)
Timeline
- 2026-04-XX — Original Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled for April cancelled due to war in the Middle East.
- 2026-07-XX — Bahrain and Malaysia agree on one‑off race at Sepang on ten‑week notice.
- 2026-10-03 — Qualifying for the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix held at Sepang.
Sources
- [1] independent.co.uk — originally reported as “F1 Bahrain GP in Malaysia LIVE: Qualifying start time, schedule, updates and stream”
