Highlights
- The 2026 Sepang race is officially the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, not the Malaysian Grand Prix.
- Bahrain is paying the F1 rights fee, estimated at US$70 million to US$80 million.
- Malaysia would need at least RM300 million annually to independently return to the F1 calendar.
- Sepang could potentially host relocated races for other countries under similar arrangements.
SEPANG, October 7 — Formula One is back at Sepang, but Malaysia has not officially revived the Malaysian Grand Prix. Instead, Malaysia is hosting the Bahrain Grand Prix.
After geopolitical tensions prevented the race from taking place in Bahrain, allowing the event to remain on the 2026 calendar. Under the arrangement, Bahrain bears the F1 rights fee.
Estimated at US$70 million to US$80 million, while Malaysia provides Sepang as the alternative venue. Hosting a Malaysian Grand Prix independently would be significantly more expensive.
SIC estimates Malaysia would need to spend at least RM300 million annually, including rights fees and local preparations This makes hosting another country’s relocated Grand Prix potentially attractive.
As Malaysia can bring F1 racing to Sepang without carrying the full cost of owning a permanent calendar slot.
However, there is currently no confirmation that Sepang will regularly host Bahrain or other countries’ Grands Prix beyond the one-off 2026 arrangement.
