Sepang International Circuit
Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Is Sepang Good for Racing?
Yes. Hermann Tilke designed Sepang around two long straights with a single hairpin between them, so a driver who leaves Turn 14 close behind gets 927m of back straight to catch the tow before braking for Turn 15. If the move doesn’t stick, the pit straight offers a second try into Turn 1.
The track’s wide too, between 16m and 20m. Max Verstappen won here in 2017 from third on the grid, and he won again when F1 came back in 2026, this time from pole and 2.307s clear of Kimi Antonelli.
Sepang International Circuit
Strategy Factors
2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
How the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia Played Out
Rain had the biggest say. The start was held up for more than 90 minutes, and the first attempt was abandoned after several Ferrari-powered cars hit software problems on the formation laps.
Once it got going, Max Verstappen turned pole into Red Bull’s first win of 2026, with Kimi Antonelli second and Lewis Hamilton third. Valtteri Bottas spun into the gravel on lap 10, and George Russell and Alex Albon both stopped late on, so 19 of the 22 cars were classified.
Aston Martin's race preview confirms 56 laps, 15 corners, a standard weekend and hot, humid conditions at Sepang.
F1's event page for the circuit length, race distance, lap count and the 2017 race lap record.
Race report covering the rain delay, the abandoned first start, Verstappen's 2.307s win and the late retirements.
2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia Results and Pay
Select A Row To Explore Details
22 Drivers
| # | Details | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Max Verstappen Red Bull | Red Bull | $70m | $90m | $200m | 25 | |
Max Verstappen Salary
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| 2 |  Kimi Antonelli Mercedes | Mercedes | $3.4m | $15.4m | $18m | 18 | |
Kimi Antonelli Salary
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| 3 |  Lewis Hamilton Ferrari | Ferrari | $60m | $70m | $580m | 15 | |
Lewis Hamilton Salary
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| 4 |  Charles LeclercFerrari | Ferrari | $34m | $46m | $70m | 12 | |
Charles Leclerc Salary
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| 5 |  Isack HadjarRed Bull | Red Bull | $7.5m | $9.5m | $1m | 10 | |
Isack Hadjar Salary
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| 6 |  Oscar Piastri McLaren | McLaren | $13m | $40.5m | $50m | 8 | |
Oscar Piastri Salary
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| 7 |  Liam Lawson Racing Bulls | Racing Bulls | $1m | $2m | $2m | 6 | |
Liam Lawson Salary
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| 8 |  Fernando Alonso Aston Martin | Aston Martin | $20m | $22.5m | $260m | 4 | |
Fernando Alonso Salary
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| 9 |  Lando NorrisMcLaren | McLaren | $30m | $69.5m | $80m | 2 | |
Lando Norris Salary
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| 10 |  Arvid LindbladRacing Bulls | Racing Bulls | $500k-1m | $1m-1.5m | $1m | 1 | |
Arvid Lindblad Salary
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| 11 |  Nico Hülkenberg Audi | Audi | $7m | $9.9m | $10m | 0 | |
Nico Hülkenberg Salary
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| 12 |  Lance StrollAston Martin | Aston Martin | $12m | $13.5m | $50m | 0 | |
Lance Stroll Salary
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| 13 |  Franco Colapinto Alpine | Alpine | $500k-1m | $1.5m-2m | $5m | 0 | |
Franco Colapinto Salary
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| 14 |  Oliver Bearman Haas | Haas | $1m | $1.5m | $1m | 0 | |
Oliver Bearman Salary
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| 15 |  Esteban OconHaas | Haas | $7m | $9m | $21m | 0 | |
Esteban Ocon Salary
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| 16 |  Pierre GaslyAlpine | Alpine | $18.2m | $29.6m | $33m | 0 | |
Pierre Gasly Salary
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| 17 |  Carlos Sainz Williams | Williams | $13m | $16m | $50m | 0 | |
Carlos Sainz Salary
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| 18 |  Gabriel BortoletoAudi | Audi | $2m | $3m | $3m | 0 | |
Gabriel Bortoleto Salary
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| 19 |  Sergio Pérez Cadillac | Cadillac | $10m | $11.5m | $50m | 0 | |
Sergio Pérez Salary
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| 20 |  George RussellMercedes | Mercedes | $34m | $50m | $40m | 0 | |
George Russell Salary
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| 21 |  Alex AlbonWilliams | Williams | $12m | $15m | $15m | 0 | |
Alex Albon Salary
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| 22 |  Valtteri BottasCadillac | Cadillac | $5m | $7m | $40m | 0 | |
Valtteri Bottas Salary
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Select A Row To Explore Details
11 Teams
| # | Details | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red BullVerstappen, Hadjar | Verstappen, Hadjar | $4.9bn | $618m | $77.5m | 35 | |
Red Bull F1 Team Value
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| 2 | FerrariHamilton, Leclerc | Hamilton, Leclerc | $7.1bn | $670m | $94m | 27 | |
Ferrari F1 Team Value
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| 3 | MercedesAntonelli, Russell | Antonelli, Russell | $6.4bn | $839m | $37.4m | 18 | |
Mercedes F1 Team Value
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| 4 | McLarenPiastri, Norris | Piastri, Norris | $5.2bn | $647m | $43m | 10 | |
McLaren F1 Team Value
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| 5 | Racing BullsLawson, Lindblad | Lawson, Lindblad | $2.4bn | $318m | $1.5m-2m | 7 | |
Racing Bulls F1 Team Value
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| 6 | Aston MartinAlonso, Stroll | Alonso, Stroll | $3.5bn | $353m | $32m | 4 | |
Aston Martin F1 Team Value
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| 7 | AudiHülkenberg, Bortoleto | Hülkenberg, Bortoleto | $2.6bn | $240m | $9m | 0 | |
Audi F1 Team Value
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| 8 | AlpineColapinto, Gasly | Colapinto, Gasly | $2.6bn | $316m | $18.7m-19.2m | 0 | |
Alpine F1 Team Value
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| 9 | HaasBearman, Ocon | Bearman, Ocon | $1.9bn | $150m | $8m | 0 | |
Haas F1 Team Value
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| 10 | WilliamsSainz, Albon | Sainz, Albon | $2.7bn | $323m | $25m | 0 | |
Williams F1 Team Value
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| 11 | CadillacPérez, Bottas | Pérez, Bottas | $1.6bn | Not Yet Filed | $15m | 0 | |
Cadillac F1 Team Value
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Tire Strategy for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia
Pirelli nominated C2 as the hard, C3 as the medium and C4 as the soft, broadly the same positions it used for the last Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017. Its reasons were specific to Sepang. The asphalt is abrasive and hasn’t been resurfaced since that race, but the overall stress on the tires is only medium.
Leaving out the hardest compound was meant to shrink the lap time gap between one and two stops and keep both in play. Then rain on race day held up the start for more than 90 minutes.
Pirelli names C2, C3 and C4 and explains the abrasive surface, medium stress and one-stop versus two-stop aim.
Says the asphalt is unchanged since 2017 and that the 2017 compounds match today's C2 to C4 positions.
Sepang Corner by Corner
There’s no pole-lap telemetry for Sepang’s 2026 return, so this guide uses Brembo’s braking data and what happened in the race. Brembo’s figures date from 2016, when cars were much harder on the brakes than the 2026 field. Max Verstappen won from pole, and the race’s main passes came at Turns 1-2, Turn 4 and the final hairpin.
Turn 1 speed loss, distance, time, deceleration and pedal load from Brembo's 2016 data
The 2026 passes at Turns 1-2, Turn 4 and the final corner, Leclerc going off at Turn 5 and Antonelli hitting the bollard
Antonelli's 2.307-second gap to Verstappen
The high-downforce setup quote, the two straights either side of the main grandstand and fluid loss in a race
The abrasive surface, track temperatures above 60°C and three-stop predictions
History of Sepang International Circuit
Sepang held the Malaysian Grand Prix for 19 years before the money stopped adding up, and it came back in 2026 to host a race that carried Bahrain’s name.
Covers the construction cost, the 1999 opening, the 2016 Dromo resurfacing and why the contract ended after 2017.
Supports the clockwise direction, corner names, the 927m back straight and the raised final corner.
Covers the Middle East cancellation, the July 26 move to Sepang and Bahrain keeping ticket rights and proceeds.
How Much Does Sepang Cost?
Malaysia's own bill for the 2026 race was small. Bahrain covered the F1 hosting fee, estimated at $70m-80m, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim put Malaysia's cost at about MYR16m ($3.9m) of track upgrades. Sepang put total preparation costs at about MYR40m ($9.8m), shared between the two. Bringing back a Malaysian Grand Prix would cost about MYR300m ($73.6m) a year, the government's 2025 estimate. Sepang itself cost a reported MYR286m to build, a figure we couldn't confirm.
How Much Did Sepang Cost to Build?
A reported MYR286m, although we couldn't confirm it. The only source for the figure, RacingCircuits.info, pairs it with a dollar conversion that is clearly wrong, and we found no official cost. Hermann Tilke designed the circuit near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and then-Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad championed it as part of Malaysia's industrialization push. It opened in 1999. The 2016 resurfacing by Italian consultancy Dromo had no published cost, and the 2026 work covered run-off areas, LED panels and technical upgrades, with no resurfacing needed. Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said in 2025 that keeping Sepang at FIA Grade 1 standard costs about MYR10m ($2.5m) a year.
How Much Would It Cost to Bring F1 Back to Sepang?
About MYR300m ($73.6m) a year, according to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh, who told parliament in August 2025 that a three- to five-year deal would mean a commitment of about MYR1.5bn ($368m). Malaysia paid nothing to F1 for the 2026 one-off. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the country would stage it "without paying the registration fee to the Formula 1 company", and Sepang's CEO said Bahrain's government had covered the hosting-rights fee, estimated at $70m-80m. No fee was ever published for the 1999-2017 Malaysian Grands Prix, which the government funded through the state-owned circuit until rising costs and falling fan interest ended the deal in 2017.
The reported MYR286m build cost, Tilke's design, Dr Mahathir's backing and the 2016 Dromo resurfacing
The MYR40m preparation estimate shared with Bahrain, the scope of the work and Bahrain covering the fee estimated at $70m-80m
Malaysia's cost of about MYR16m and no fee paid
Anwar's quote on not paying the registration fee
About MYR300m a year and MYR1.5bn over three to five years
The MYR300m fee estimate and about MYR10m a year to keep FIA Grade 1 standard
The 1999-2017 race dropped over rising hosting costs and sanctioning fees
How Much Are Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia Tickets?
International fans paid $220 for three days on K2 Hillstand or the B grass bank at Turns 12-14, tax included, and a Main Grandstand seat covering the start, pits and back straight cost $565.40. Malaysian MyKad holders had their own tariff, from MYR200 ($49) on G Hillstand to MYR2,083.40 ($511) in the Main Grandstand. Paddock Club hospitality was a reported $6,750. At the international price, the race was the 8th cheapest of the 23 in our ticket price table.
Questions About Sepang and Its F1 Return
Sepang hosted it because conflict in the Middle East forced F1 to call off Bahrain’s April race at Sakhir. F1 and the FIA confirmed the move to Malaysia on July 26, and the event kept Bahrain’s name for this year only. The Bahrain International Circuit is due back on March 12-14, 2027, with a Sprint.
Sepang isn’t on the 2027 calendar, so for now the 2026 race was a one-off. Cost is the obstacle to a full Malaysian Grand Prix, since Malaysian officials have cited an annual hosting fee of around MYR300m ($74m). This year’s race was different because it was Bahrain’s event, and Bahrain kept the ticket pricing rights and the race proceeds.
Sebastian Vettel holds the Sepang race lap record with 1:34.080, set on lap 41 of the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix. Qualifying was quicker, as Lewis Hamilton took pole that weekend in 1:30.076. The 2026 cars didn’t get close, with Max Verstappen’s pole lap more than a second slower at 1:35.130, and rain hit race day.
The 2016 works raised Sepang’s final corner by about a meter and reprofiled it as an off-camber hairpin. Water now drains away faster, and drivers are pushed toward a later apex, which gives a following car more ways to attack on the run to Turn 1.
Malaysia paid no hosting fee to F1 for the 2026 race. Bahrain’s government covered it, at an estimated $70m-80m, and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said Malaysia’s only cost was about MYR16m ($3.9m) of track upgrades at Sepang. The circuit put total preparation costs at about MYR40m ($9.8m), shared with Bahrain.
We found no official build cost for Sepang. The only figure we found is a reported MYR286m from RacingCircuits.info, which we couldn’t confirm. Hermann Tilke designed the circuit near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, and it opened in 1999 as part of Malaysia’s industrialization push under Dr Mahathir Mohamad.