Formula 1 is making a surprise return to Sepang—Sky expert Martin Brundle praises the flexible approach taken by officials in organizing the replacement for Bahrain
Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports F1 commentator Martin Brundle has praised Formula 1 officials for their “out-of-the-box thinking” after the World Championship’s return to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia was officially confirmed.
After weeks of speculation, Formula 1 and the International Automobile Federation (FIA) officially announced in late July that the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix would be moved to Sepang. Due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, the original April date in Sakhir had to be canceled. Now Malaysia is stepping in to host the Bahrain Grand Prix from October 2–4, 2026.
In his coverage leading up to the Hungarian Grand Prix on Sky Sports F1, Brundle spoke positively about this move.
“That’s pretty good thinking outside the box, because we won’t be able to go to Bahrain anytime soon,” he says. “Bahrain has been a great friend to Formula 1 since 2004, and everyone has cooperated, just like the Malaysian government.”
“It’s important for Formula 1 to keep the calendar above the 20-race mark as much as possible for several reasons—partly for commercial reasons and partly to ensure that the championship is contested as fully as possible.”
“It’s going to be tough for the teams, because that means six races over seven weekends in far-flung locations. Logistically, this will be a real challenge for everyone. I like this flexibility and that everyone is open to it.”
Malaysia hasn’t hosted a Grand Prix since it withdrew from the series after the 2017 race due to high hosting fees and declining ticket sales. Max Verstappen won the last race held there to date and stood on the podium alongside Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo.
