The Bahrain Grand Prix will be held in… Malaysia

F1 is weird, Exhibit 8,439,172: after postponing the Bahrain Grand Prix in April because of things, er, getting out of hand in the Middle East, the race has been rescheduled… thousands of miles away in Sepang.

No, really. The race formerly known as the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix will now be called the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, filling the gap in the calendar between Baku and Singapore over 2-4 October. Riiight…

Mental gymnastics aside, this does at least mean the return of one of F1’s most popular racetracks. Sepang was last part of the schedule in 2017, when it was won by a young fella named Max Verstappen… wonder what happened to him?

Before that the Malaysian Grand Prix played host to some iconic moments, including Lewis Hamilton’s engine erupting into flames (the killer blow in his title fight with Nico Rosberg) in 2016 and Kimi Raikkonen helping himself to a mid-race ice cream during a rain delay in 2009. Bwoah.

And now it will attempt to pull off the kind of trick not seen in F1 since Imola – which is in Italy – spent a quarter of a century naming its Grand Prix after San Marino… which while being in Italy is not Italy. They’ve got their own seat at the UN and everything.

“We are delighted to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026,” said F1 president and CEO Stefano Domenicali, presumably still clutching a copy of George Orwell’s 1984. “Once again, the sport has demonstrated its ability to adapt, find solutions, and deliver, creating an exciting moment for everyone who follows Formula 1.

“Malaysia is an incredible country, and Sepang holds a special place in Formula 1 history. It will provide a spectacular setting for racing and an unforgettable experience for fans at the circuit and watching around the world.”

In the meantime… any chance we can move Miami to the Nürburgring?