Why has the Bahrain Grand Prix been moved to Malaysia? F1 schedule changes explained

After nearly a decade away, Formula One is back at the Sepang International Circuit this weekend but not for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The track was on the calendar between 1999 and 2017, and proved popular with motorsport fans, as its layout encouraged drivers to attack and led to exciting races.

• Watch the Bahrain Grand Prix live on Sky Sports

As a result, many will be celebrating its return this weekend when it hosts the rearranged Bahrain Grand Prix.

The race was originally scheduled for April but why is it now taking place in October and what's behind the decision to move it to Sepang?

Radio Times breaks down why the Bahrain Grand Prix has been moved to Malaysia.

The Bahrain Grand Prix has been moved to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia due to safety concerns related to the Iran-US conflict.

When the 2026 calendar was initially released, the race was set for April but, along with the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, it was postponed.

While the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix has not been reinstated, the FIA confirmed in July that the Bahrain Grand Prix would go ahead in Malaysia on the first weekend of October.

It has kept its name as the Bahrain Grand Prix as the Bahraini government remained the primary promoter and will receive all the revenue.

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Authors

Ned is a sports writer at RadioTimes.com. He has covered a host of sports from EFL football, international cricket and golf all the way through to bike polo and triathlon.