F1 Bosses Considering Sepang Return Amid West Asia Conflict

By Danial Martinus • 24 Jul 2026 in Cars

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With consecutive US bombardments on Iran, followed by defensive retaliations, West Asia is no longer considered a safe region to host any Formula 1 (F1) Grand Prix, resulting with the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races.

There’s still a chance for the Bahrain grand prix to go on, but recent escalating tensions have made that possibility highly unlikely. This coming weekend should confirm its place on the 2026 F1 calendar, though.

The fates of late-season races like Qatar and Abu Dhabi also hang in the balance, with F1 officials scrutinising the viability of the two events amid ongoing military activity in the region.

But race cancellations are costly, so F1’s governing body, Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), is looking for stand-ins to keep the show going, and Malaysia’s iconic Sepang International Circuit has so far been one of the top contenders.

Everybody loves (and misses) Sepang

According to multiple sources at the Hungarian Grand Prix, a number of replacements are being looked at, and none have been confirmed. But Sepang is on that list, and the Malaysian Grand Prix would likely take place between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix if selected.

If you’re at all familiar with Malaysia’s F1 past, you’ll know the country hosted the pinnacle of motorsport from 1999 to 2017, having stopped due to difficulties keeping up with rising hosting costs.

Sepang was the setting of some of F1’s most iconic moments, including Michael Schumacher’s triumphant return after sustaining a broken leg at the British Grand Prix, Kimi Raikkonen’s maiden victory with McLaren, the now infamous ‘multi-21’ radio call, and much more.

Sebastian Vettel hitches a ride on the sidepod of Pascal Wehrlein’s Sauber following a bizarre post-race collision with Lance Stroll’s Williams, Malaysian Grand Prix 2017. (source: Formula 1)

According to industry-insider information obtained by The Race, Sepang is definitely one of the leading contenders due to its close proximity to Singapore (which would be the following race), as well as the circuit’s close distance to the airport, being Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).

So logisitally, a race at Sepang makes all the sense in the world if it were needed as a stand-in for Bahrain.

Despite not having hosted an F1 race since 2017, Sepang is still FIA-certified as a Grade 1 circuit, the highest safety and facility rating a location can receive. It also still plays host to other major racing events, including MotoGP, GT World Challenge Asia, as well as the Sepang 1000KM endurance race.

“That was the toughest race I have ever driven.” – Sergio Perez (Force India), Malaysian Grand Prix 2017. (source: Formula 1)

Logistics aside, F1 drivers and team bosses broadly agree that Sepang is one of the best circuits ever made, thanks to its technical design that allows for great wheel-to-wheel combat, the extreme heat that challenges every driver, and the unpredictability of Malaysia’s tropical weather.

Fingers crossed for Malaysia to return to F1 (even as a stand-in).