The Sepang circuit was the first of the new breed of Formula 1 tracks designed by Hermann Tilke and held its first F1 race in 1999. It remained host of the Malaysian Grand Prix annually until 2017, returning in 2026 to host the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
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- The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia is set to take place on October 2-4 at Sepang International Circuit
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Designed by Hermann Tilke, the purpose-built Sepang International Circuit is adjacent to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) and approximately 45km south of the Malaysian capital. The 5.543km venue was built on an oil palm plantation, with nine million cubic metres of earth removed during construction and 5,000 palm trees planted to maintain the area’s natural beauty.
The first Tilke-designed track to appear on the calendar as part of F1’s expansion into the Asian market, the track opened in 1999 after 14 months of construction work and went on to hold its first F1 race seven months later. As well as Formula 1, Sepang has also played host to a number of high profile motorsport events including MotoGP, which has raced at the venue since 1999.
Ticket Sales and Neighbouring Races
The race was subsidised by the Malaysian government and in later years ticket prices were reduced to entice more fans to the track. When it last appeared on the schedule in 2017, the Malaysian Grand Prix offered by far the cheapest tickets on the Formula 1 calendar, even without taking into account the generous early-bird discounts offered during the first few months of ticket sales.
The circuit, which had been showing its age, finally received some much needed investment, with the owners installing a new membrane for the roof of the main grandstand complex to prevent leaks during heavy rain. The track was also resurfaced ahead of the 2017 race.
From the outset, the organisers of the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix faced trouble attracting significant spectators to the event. The circuit has a capacity of approximately 130,000 fans, but race day attendances in the later years of the circuit’s initial spell on the calendar hovered around the 80,000 mark.
For 2016, the race moved from March to October and was paired with the neighbouring Singapore Grand Prix two weeks earlier. The move did not benefit the event and despite organisers signing a three-year deal which would guarantee the event’s future until 2018, the final Malaysian Grand Prix took place in 2017.
An Unexpected 2026 Return
Sepang International Circuit makes an unexpected return to the Formula 1 calendar in 2026 to host the previously called-off Bahrain Grand Prix. The Bahrain race, as well as the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, was unable to go ahead on its original date in April as a result of ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
On July 26, F1 announced that a deal had been signed between the sport, and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia for Sepang to step in as host of the race in a one-off deal. The race will be titled the “Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia”. The race will take place on October 2-4, with tickets in high demand for the return of F1 racing to Malaysia for the first time in almost a decade.
Malaysian Grand Prix: Fast Facts
- When it hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia in 2026, Malaysia will become the first country to host a Grand Prix featuring the name of another country since the 2006 San Marino Grand Prix, which was held at Imola in Italy.
- In 2002, Juan Pablo Montoya was handed the first-ever drive through penalty in Formula 1 for a collision with Michael Schumacher.
- Despite their long history in F1, the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix marked one of only two 1-2 results for Renault. Their only other was at the 1982 French Grand Prix, 24 years previously.
- Malaysia moved from the final round of the 2000 season to being the second round of the season in 2001. It left a gap of just 147 days between races at Sepang International Circuit, which remained the shortest interval between two Grands Prix at a single circuit until 2020, when the Red Bull Ring opened the season with two races just seven days apart.
- Giancarlo Fisichella’s win at the 2006 Malaysian Grand Prix was the most recent victory for an Italian driver in Formula 1 until Kimi Antonelli took his first win at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix.
- Max Verstappen became F1’s youngest-ever points scorer at the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix, scoring his first points at the age of 17.
- Ferrari recorded a double Q1 exit at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix. Their only other double Q1 elimination since F1 introduced the knockout qualifying system in 2006 came at the 2014 British Grand Prix.
- Fernando Alonso has won the Malaysian Grand Prix while racing for three different teams – Renault in 2005, McLaren in 2007 and Ferrari in 2012.
- Alex Yoong is the only Malaysian driver to have started the Malaysian Grand Prix, doing so in 2002.
Memorable Moments: Malaysian Grand Prix
1999 – Schumacher’s Return and a Ferrari 1-2
For F1’s debut on the calendar at the 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix, Michael Schumacher returned to the sport after a lengthy absence due to injury earlier in the year at Silverstone. With team-mate Eddie Irvine in title contention, Schumacher played the team game and trailed the Irishman home in a 1-2 finish for Ferrari.
After the race, an irregularity with the team’s bargeboards saw them disqualified, briefly handing championship victories to Mika Hakkinen and McLaren. However, a week later, the disqualification was overturned and the title battle would go to the wire at the Japanese Grand Prix one week later.
2003 – Raikkonen’s Maiden Win
There was a rare occurrence at the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix. One driver took their maiden pole position, while another took their maiden win. Renault’s Fernando Alonso was fastest in qualifying but it was Kimi Raikkonen who’d take his first victory in the second race of the 2003 season. It would be another 19 years, until the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix, that two different drivers secured their maiden pole and win over a single race weekend. Watch the highlights.
2009 – The Half Points Monsoon
Malaysia is known for its humid, tropical weather conditions and rain has been a factor in plenty of races at Sepang International Circuit. None more so than the 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix, which was only the fifth race in F1 history to award half points as a result of being abandoned before 75% of the race distance was completed.
Jenson Button secured his second victory of his championship-winning 2009 campaign with Brawn GP, with Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock joining him on the podium. Half points had not been awarded since 1991 and would not be awarded again until the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. Watch the highlights.
2013 – “Multi 21, Seb”
Intra-team rivalry was the headline of the day at the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix, which is famed for its “Multi 21” moment between Red Bull team-mates Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber. Webber was running comfortably ahead of Vettel and the team told the reigning World Champion to hold position behind his team-mate. But Vettel did not play along and overtook his team-mate in the race’s closing stages. Webber made his feelings towards his team-mate clear after the race. Watch the highlights.
2016 – Hamilton’s Chances Up In Smoke
The 2016 season was a hard-fought scrap for the title between Mercedes team-mates Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Hamilton had faced a run of bad luck throughout the year and fate was to see his title hopes take another hit at the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix. Having led for most of the first 40 laps, Hamilton was forced to retired when his engine failed on Lap 41, handing the lead to Daniel Ricciardo.
Rosberg’s recovery to the podium saw him climb to a 23-point advantage in the title race. Hamilton did his best to overcome the setbacks and points deficit after his engine blowout in Malaysia, winning four of the remaining five races of the season – but Rosberg ultimately won the title by five points. Watch the highlights.
Malaysia Grand Prix Facts
| Circuit Name | Sepang International Circuit |
| Race first held | 1999 |
| Track Length | 5.543km (15 turns) |
| Race Distance | 56 laps (310.408km) |
| Lap Record | 1:34.080, Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari), 2017 |
| 2017 Result | 1st Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 1:30:01.290 |
| 2nd Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) +12.770s | |
| 3rd Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull) +22.519s |
