The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia will take place at the Sepang International Circuit on Sunday, October 4, with Max Verstappen starting from pole position ahead of Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton.
The race is a rescheduled event, replacing the Bahrain Grand Prix originally planned for April 12 at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir. Two Middle Eastern races were cancelled in April because of the war.
Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia: start time and coverage
The 2026 race is scheduled to begin at 3pm local time, which is 3am Eastern Time in the United States. The 56-lap race will be held on the 5.543km circuit.
In the US, coverage will be available on Apple TV from 1.50am Eastern Time. Viewers outside the US can watch through F1TV, with coverage beginning at the same time.
It is the first Formula 1 race at Sepang in nine years. Verstappen won the last race there in 2017, during his first full season with Red Bull, securing the second victory of his Formula 1 career.
Verstappen secured first place in qualifying and will line up alongside Hamilton on the front row. Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar starts third, following a double Red Bull podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix the previous weekend.
Starting grid for the Malaysian race
Max Verstappen starts first for Red Bull, with Lewis Hamilton second for Ferrari and Isack Hadjar third for Red Bull.
Kimi Antonelli starts fourth for Mercedes, followed by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in fifth and McLaren’s Lando Norris in sixth. Oscar Piastri is seventh for McLaren and George Russell eighth for Mercedes.
Pierre Gasly starts ninth for Alpine, with Audi’s Gabriel Bortoleto in 10th. Liam Lawson is 11th for Racing Bulls, followed by Fernando Alonso for Aston Martin and Carlos Sainz for Williams.
Lance Stroll starts 14th for Aston Martin, ahead of Alpine’s Franco Colapinto and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad. Nico Hulkenberg is 17th for Audi, with Oliver Bearman and Esteban Ocon lining up for Haas in 18th and 19th.
Alexander Albon starts 20th for Williams, while Cadillac’s Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez complete the 22-car grid.
Remaining 2026 Formula 1 races
Formula 1 will travel to Singapore next weekend for the Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix after the race in Malaysia.
The remaining schedule then features the United States Grand Prix from October 23 to 25, the Mexico City Grand Prix from October 30 to November 1, and the São Paulo Grand Prix from November 6 to 8.
The Las Vegas Grand Prix follows from November 19 to 21, before the Qatar Grand Prix from November 27 to 29 and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from December 4 to 6.
