The 2026 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix will take place this weekend, with Round 16 of the championship heading to Malaysia for an unusual edition of the race.
The Bahrain Grand Prix was originally scheduled to take place in Sakhir in April but was postponed because of the ongoing Iran conflict. Rather than cancelling the event completely, Formula 1 has arranged for the race to be held later in the season, with Sepang International Circuit stepping in as the host venue.
Although the event will officially retain the name 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix, Bahrain will cover the costs while the Malaysian circuit hosts the race. Such arrangements have occurred previously in F1, including when Imola hosted the San Marino Grand Prix despite being located in Italy.
The weekend will follow the traditional F1 format, featuring three practice sessions, qualifying and the main race.
Free Practice 1 will begin at 12:30 local time on Friday, October 2, followed by FP2 at 16:00. On Saturday, October 3, FP3 will start at 12:30, with qualifying scheduled for 16:00.
The 56-lap Bahrain Grand Prix is scheduled to get underway at 15:00 local time on Sunday, October 4.
For viewers in the UK, Malaysia is seven hours ahead. This means qualifying will begin at 09:00 BST on Saturday, while the race will start at 08:00 BST on Sunday.
2026 Bahrain GP Schedule – Malaysia
Session
Date
Local Time
Free Practice 1
Friday, October 2
12:30–13:30
Free Practice 2
Friday, October 2
16:00–17:00
Free Practice 3
Saturday, October 3
12:30–13:30
Qualifying
Saturday, October 3
16:00–17:00
Race
Sunday, October 4
15:00–17:00
The unusual venue change means fans will get to see a Bahrain-branded Grand Prix staged at Sepang, marking another distinctive chapter in the 2026 F1 calendar.
