“Manama-Lumpur”: Behind the Scenes of the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

On 26 July, just ahead of the last Formula 1 race before the traditional summer break, Sepang International Circuit was announced as the host of the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, which had originally been scheduled to take place in April but was postponed due to the armed conflict unfolding across the Gulf.

Formula One Management (FOM) and the FIA have faced an unprecedented challenge in ensuring that the minimum number of races agreed upon with sponsors and broadcasters would be preserved on the current calendar. The chosen substitute circuit has been absent from the championship for almost a decade now, and many fans around the world are eager to see how the new F1 cars will perform at much-beloved Sepang.

So, how exactly is the race weekend going to be held on 2-4 October from an organizational and economic perspective?

First, the unconventional name of the Grand Prix suggests that Bahraini organizers are going to be heavily involved in preparations for the upcoming race. Due to contractual obligations, the original name, including the title sponsor, had to be preserved, with only “in Malaysia” being added. 

Second, Azhan Shafriman Hanif, CEO of Sepang International Circuit, has provided extensive commentary on the organizational and financial details surrounding the event.

All the revenue derived from ticket sales would be transferred to Bahrain, with the latter responsible for setting ticket prices. The Malaysian side is known to have requested discounts for local fans, but a decision on this is yet to be made. The Malaysian concerns here seem relevant, as the Bahrain GP is known to be one of the most expensive on the calendar due to the high fees the organizers pay to host the event, which is typical for Gulf monarchies. Ticket prices will start at no less than 25 USD for a single-day pass and no less than 75 USD for the entire weekend, with sales set to begin in August.

Most of the expenses would be covered by the Bahraini government, with the amount estimated at 70-80 million USD. Sepang would cover the remaining costs – those associated with circuit preparation and local organization – but these are likely to account for no more than 10 million USD, since the circuit is in active use due to the annual MotoGP Grand Prix held there, and FOM is satisfied with the track’s condition following the initial safety inspection. The circuit has been maintained in accordance with FIA Grade 1 standards in recent years. The main planned improvements include the start zone and, probably, the pit lane, among other things. The circuit is expected to be closed two weeks prior to the race to allow the preparations to be completed. As a result, one of the Thailand Super Series (TSS) by B-Quik rounds scheduled for the end of September at Sepang had to be cancelled.

As Sepang is generally viewed as one of the most popular circuits among the fans and is considered particularly spectacular – with a unique layout resembling the Chinese hibiscus, the country’s national symbol – a reasonable question may arise as to whether the circuit could return to the F1 calendar on a regular basis. Although the circuit team would welcome such a possibility, the high costs of hosting an F1 Grand Prix and the difficulty of finding an available spot in the championship’s already packed calendar might make it unfeasible. 

Apart from Malaysia, one of the key contenders to host the Bahrain GP was rumoured to be Türkiye. Interestingly, one of the factors influencing the decision to choose Sepang as the host venue may have been the personal relationship between the rulers of Bahrain and Malaysia, who have maintained close ties since 2017. 

The fate of the 2026 F1 season finale is yet to be determined, though. It seems unlikely that the races planned in Qatar and the UAE for late November to early December will take place as intended, especially after WEC’s Qatar 1812 km and 8 Hours of Bahrain were officially cancelled at the latest meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council. Among the rumoured alternatives are circuits in Italy’s Imola, Portugal’s Portimão, and Türkiye’s Istanbul Park, with the latter two having already signed multi-year contracts to host F1 races starting in 2027, while the former was excluded from the calendar this season. The final decision is expected in September.