KUALA LUMPUR – Formula One could be on the brink of an unexpected return to Sepang, with the government confirming it is evaluating the possibility of staging a replacement race later this season should the Bahrain Grand Prix be unable to proceed.
Youth and Sports Minister Dr Mohammed Taufiq Johari said the government had received preliminary information on the prospect of hosting a Formula One race at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC), with the matter already brought to the attention of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the Youth and Sports Ministry is conducting detailed discussions and assessments before any decision is made.
“The Prime Minister and the ministry have received preliminary information on the possibility of organising a Formula One race at the Sepang International Circuit to replace the Bahrain Formula One race.
“In this regard, discussions and assessments by the ministry are actively being carried out.
“The ministry remains committed to supporting the development of sports in the country, including motorsports.
“Any further developments will be announced once the matter has been finalised,” he said in a statement on Friday.
The confirmation follows a Reuters report, which said Sepang is among several venues under consideration should Bahrain ultimately be unable to host its postponed Grand Prix because of the ongoing regional security situation.
The report, citing multiple sources at the Hungarian Grand Prix, said Formula One is considering a vacant slot between the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sept 27 and the Singapore Grand Prix on Oct 11.
Besides Sepang, Portimão in Portugal, Barcelona in Spain and Suzuka in Japan are also being assessed as potential replacement venues.
A return to Sepang would mark Formula One’s first race in Malaysia since Oct 1, 2017, when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen won the final Malaysian Grand Prix ahead of Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton, with teammate Daniel Ricciardo completing the podium.
That race also brought the curtain down on the Malaysian Grand Prix after a 19-year run. Sepang, which opened in 1999 as Southeast Asia’s first purpose-built Formula One circuit, hosted Malaysia’s inaugural Formula One race that same year.
Malaysia opted not to renew its hosting agreement after the 2017 season, citing escalating sanction fees and diminishing commercial returns despite the event’s enduring popularity.
Although speculation about Formula One’s return has surfaced several times since then, the financial cost of staging a race has remained the biggest hurdle.
Last year, then Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh told Parliament there were no immediate plans to revive the Malaysian Grand Prix, noting that the estimated annual hosting fee of about RM300 million was difficult to justify using public funds.
She said any future bid would require substantial private-sector investment, with government funding better directed towards athlete development and strengthening Malaysia’s overall sporting ecosystem.
SIC chief executive officer Azhan Shafriman Hanif has also previously said the circuit remains keen to welcome Formula One back but stressed that any bid would depend on commercial viability, adequate funding and strong support from key stakeholders. – July 24, 2026