F1 / NEWS & CONTEXT

Bahrain to cover F1 fees for Sepang race, circuit chief says

Sepang’s chief executive says Bahrain will cover US$70m–US$80m in F1 rights fees for the race in Malaysia, while Gulf Air retains title sponsorship.

GPBeat · Newsroom05 Oct 2026, 23:47 · 2 min

Formula 1 and the FIA announced the move in July, following an agreement with the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia. The race will retain Bahrain’s name and Gulf Air sponsorship, despite taking place at Sepang International Circuit. Formula 1’s timetable lists a 56-lap race starting at 15:00 local time on Sunday 4 October.

Bahrain’s race had originally been due to take place on 10–12 April. In March, Formula 1 said the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix would not go ahead in April because of the situation in the Middle East. It announced no replacement races for April at the time.

The Bahrain name on a race outside Bahrain is unusual, but not without precedent. RacingNews365 points to the San Marino Grand Prix, which was held in Italy; Reuters also cites races named for Luxembourg and Switzerland that took place across their borders. Motorsport.com places more emphasis on the calendar and logistics behind the choice of Sepang. The reports agree on the venue and the event’s Bahrain identity.

Sepang last hosted Formula 1 in 2017. This October’s scheduled race falls between the Grands Prix in Azerbaijan and Singapore.

Update

Sepang International Circuit chief executive Azhan Shafriman Hanif said Bahrain would cover the Formula 1 rights fees for the relocated race, which he put at US$70m–US$80m. Bernama reported his comments on 28 July.

The Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled for 2–4 October at Sepang, following the postponement of the original event amid the conflict in West Asia. Bahrain International Circuit said on 27 September that Gulf Air would remain the race’s title sponsor in Malaysia.

Azhan Shafriman said Malaysia would share local preparation costs of around RM40m. When he spoke in July, Sepang and Bahrain International Circuit were still discussing how to divide hosting costs.

Sources 09

SOURCEWhy the 2026 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix is being held in MalaysiaRacingNews365 English · Source date as found: 2026-09-28
SOURCEFormula 1 and FIA confirm Malaysia will join 2026 calendar as host venue for Bahrain Grand PrixFormula 1 · Source date as found: 2026-07-26
SOURCE2026 FIA Formula One World ChampionshipFédération Internationale de l’Automobile · Source date as found: Vastgelegd op 2026-09-28; gedeeltelijk aangeleverd
SOURCEBahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix will not take place in AprilFormula 1 · Source date as found: 2026-03-14
SOURCEFORMULA 1 GULF AIR BAHRAIN GRAND PRIX IN MALAYSIA 2026Formula 1 · Source date as found: Publicatiedatum niet vermeld; vastgelegd op 2026-09-28
SOURCEF1 moves Bahrain Grand Prix to Malaysia's Sepang circuitReuters, gepubliceerd door Khaleej Times · Source date as found: 2026-07-26
SOURCEWaarom vindt de Grand Prix van Bahrein 2026 plaats in Maleisië?Motorsport.com, Nederlandstalige editie · Source date as found: 2026-09-27
SOURCEBahrain To Bear Rights Fees For Oct F1 Race At SICBernama · Source date as found: 2026-07-28
SOURCEBIC and national carrier Gulf Air continue long-standing partnership with Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026Bahrain International Circuit · Source date as found: 2026-09-27

Source context

Formula 1 announced the arrangement in July and lists the October race on its timetable; the later explainers discuss the venue choice and unusual name.

Bernama reported the fee figures from Sepang’s chief executive in July; Bahrain International Circuit announced the continuing Gulf Air sponsorship in September.

Claims and supporting evidence 10

Formula 1's announcement and official timetable support a Bahrain Grand Prix weekend at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on 2–4 October 2026, with the race on Sunday 4 October. The event retains Bahrain's identity under the name Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia 2026. At the supplied sources' capture date of 28 September, this is an upcoming scheduled event, not a completed race.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Scheduled event, venue and retained identity Status in sources captured on 28 September 2026; event scheduled for 2–4 October 2026 The current scheduling is supported by Formula 1's timetable, not by the unavailable calendar section of S3. A published schedule does not guarantee that an event will take place.

[2][5]

Formula 1 and the FIA announced the arrangement on 26 July 2026, following an agreement involving both organisations and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia. Their stated purpose was to preserve a Grand Prix that otherwise would not have happened. The announcement remained conditional on final agreements and official approval, including World Motor Sport Council approval. The relocation therefore predates RacingNews365's 28 September explainer; that article is not the original announcement.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Agreement, announcement chronology and approval conditions 26 July–28 September 2026 The later timetable confirms official programming but does not itself supply the final approval decision or signed agreement.

[2][1]

Motorsport.com gives the original Bahrain weekend as 10–12 April 2026. On 14 March, Formula 1 announced that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia would not stage their races in April because of the situation in the Middle East, with no substitute races that month. FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem explicitly cited safety and wellbeing. Reuters, read through Khaleej Times, identified the Iran war as the context. The March statement neither promised a replacement date nor announced the later Sepang arrangement.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Original April date and stated reason for its removal Announcement on 14 March 2026 concerning the April races; Reuters context published on 26 July 2026 The safety rationale is the organisers' stated explanation. It does not independently establish particular military incidents or the extent of damage at any facility.

[7][4][6]

The official timetable schedules the race for 15:00 local Malaysian time on 4 October. It lists the Grand Prix as 56 laps or 120 minutes. The page specifies UTC+8 and warns that the timetable can change.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Official race timetable Scheduled race on 4 October 2026; timetable captured on 28 September 2026 These are scheduled timings and the timetable's stated race duration, not a result or a comprehensive account of regulatory time limits.

[5]

Reuters reported on 26 July that adding Sepang restored the planned 2026 championship to 23 races. It also noted speculation about whether Qatar and Abu Dhabi would take place. Sepang last hosted Formula 1 in 2017, making the scheduled 2026 event a return after nine years.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Season-calendar significance and Sepang's return Reuters report of 26 July 2026; planned 2026 season; comparison with 2017 The figure of 23 describes the planned calendar reported in July, not completed races or an independently checked September FIA calendar count. July speculation does not establish the subsequent status of Qatar or Abu Dhabi. No multi-year return of a separate Malaysian Grand Prix is established.

[6]

Jake Nichol's RacingNews365 article of 28 September, Reuters' 26 July report republished by Khaleej Times, and Stefan Ehlen's Motorsport.com explainer of 27 September agree on Sepang hosting the Bahrain-named event. RacingNews365 explains the unusual naming through the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola; Reuters supplies several historical naming precedents. Motorsport.com adds calendar and logistics as reasons for choosing Sepang. These are different emphases rather than a demonstrated disagreement over the venue, date or event identity.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Comparison of the supplied reporting Publications dated 26 July, 27 September and 28 September 2026 The relocation announcement has a shared official origin; its repetition is not three independent confirmations of the decision. Reuters and its Khaleej Times republication form one source chain. Motorsport.com's logistical explanation remains its reporting, not a supplied internal selection document. Its excerpt ends mid-article, so the comparison covers only the supplied text. No directly read Bahraini or Malaysian news publication supports a country-level comparison.

[1][6][7]

Reuters' 26 July report, read through Khaleej Times, cited unnamed sources indicating that Bahrain would cover most rescheduling costs. Motorsport.com subsequently reported that Bahrain sets ticket prices and, according to Sepang International Circuit, receives ticket-sale revenue. These reports add financial context to Bahrain's continuing involvement, but describe different aspects of the arrangement rather than independently confirming identical contract terms.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Attributed financial and ticketing context Reuters: 26 July 2026; Motorsport.com: 27 September 2026 Reuters' cost allocation is attributed to unnamed sources and expressed prospectively. The Sepang statement is available only through Motorsport.com. Neither report supplies the signed agreement or an exact rescheduling-cost amount.

[6][7]

Bernama and Bahrain International Circuit both identify Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia as the venue for the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix, scheduled for October 2–4, 2026. Bernama reports that Malaysia was selected as a replacement host after the Bahrain race was postponed because of the West Asia conflict.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. The scheduled 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia Race scheduled for October 2–4, 2026 These are pre-race accounts; they do not establish that the race took place. The reason for the replacement is reported by Bernama, not separately stated in the retrieved BIC page.

[8][9]

Bernama reports SIC chief executive Azhan Shafriman Hanif's July 28 statement that Bahrain would pay the F1 rights fees, put at US$70 million to US$80 million. He said Malaysia would still share local preparation costs of around RM40 million, while SIC and Bahrain International Circuit were discussing the allocation of hosting costs.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Reported division of race-hosting costs Statement reported July 28, 2026 The figures and arrangement are attributed to the SIC chief executive; the contract was not reviewed. BIC's retrieved page does not independently address the fees.

[8]

Bahrain International Circuit's September 27 announcement says Gulf Air remains title sponsor of the race in Malaysia. The retrieved publications agree on the planned race and venue but add different details: Bernama reports the SIC chief executive's cost account, whereas BIC focuses on its continuing partnership with Gulf Air. The BIC announcement does not corroborate Bernama's financial figures.

This source finding must be read within the stated scope and source context. Title sponsorship and differences between the retrieved accounts Bernama: July 28, 2026; BIC: September 27, 2026 This comparison is limited to the two retrieved pages. BIC is an event stakeholder; neither page supplies a historical survey of similarly named races.

[8][9]

Corrections and updates to this story

05 Oct 2026, 23:47

Verduidelijkt dat de afgelaste races voor april stonden gepland; daarnaast is de Nederlandse notatie van de geldbedragen aangepast zonder de waarden te veranderen.

29 Sept 2026, 13:00

Updated with a material new development verified through a separate News Made Clear newsroom run.

This article was produced with AI assistance. Source references make its supporting evidence traceable.