Open-Wheel Racing
2026 Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix
This event has finished.
The 2027 edition runs 12 to 14 March.
Why You Should Go
F1's first race at Sepang in nine years, a one off Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia with covered stands and the cheapest tickets on the calendar for locals.
Format
Three day Grand Prix weekend, standard format, Sunday race 3pm
Crowd
International F1 fans and Malaysian locals; attendance not yet published
Vibe
Hot, loud, one off
About This Event
The 2026 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix is being run at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia on 2 to 4 October, after the April race at Sakhir could not go ahead. It keeps the Bahrain name, slots between Azerbaijan and Singapore, and brings Formula 1 back to Sepang for the first time in nine years: a standard three day weekend with a 3pm Sunday race, covered grandstands and the cheapest tickets on the calendar for Malaysian residents.
1What to Expect
A one off: the Bahrain Grand Prix moved to Sepang for 2026 only, agreed between Formula 1, the FIA and the governments of Bahrain and Malaysia, so this is the only chance to see F1 at Sepang without a future date attached.
Standard weekend format, no sprint: practice on Friday 2 October, qualifying on Saturday 3 October, and the Grand Prix on Sunday 4 October at 3pm local time.
Sepang is one of the best circuits in the world for watching trackside: wide run off, long straights into tight corners, and good sightlines from the cheap hillstands as well as the grandstands.
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Every grandstand is covered and the top of the hillstand has an undercover section, which matters in Malaysian heat and rain.
The Mall Area behind the Main Grandstand carries the fan zone: food, merchandise, a stage, a ferris wheel and a small funfair.
2Best Way to Experience It
- Buy the 3 day ticket: single day tickets had not been announced at launch, and the pricing is built around the weekend.
- Malaysian residents with a MyKad pay a fraction of the international price (RM200 for the G Hillstand against US$219 for international general admission), so a local friend's booking is the cheapest way in for a mixed group; the MyKad verification is checked.
- For the international price band the K1 Grandstand is the value seat over the Main Grandstand: covered, on the internal shuttle loop and close to where the KLIA Transit shuttle drops.
- Do not plan around the big screens: every grandstand has them but they are small and not every seat sees one well, so bring the F1 app and earphones.
- Children 3 to 6 years get 25 percent off (not on the G Hillstand); under 3 years are free without a seat.
- Beat the heat: keep out of the sun between 11am and 3pm on Friday and Saturday, carry a spare shirt, and treat rain as likely rather than possible.
About the Venue
While you're in the area
Experiences near Petronas Sepang International Circuit
3Logistics
- Getting there: the circuit is south of Kuala Lumpur beside KLIA. From the city the KLIA Ekspres or KLIA Transit train to the airport takes under half an hour, then a short taxi or Grab hop to the circuit; the circuit is about 3.5km from the airport. Official event shuttles and the RapidKL bus from KL had not been confirmed for 2026 at the time of writing.
- Parking: Sepang has around 18,000 spaces on site; 2026 parking prices had not been published at launch. Pre book if a paid option appears.
- Getting home: race day exit is slow; wait 30 to 45 minutes after the chequered flag or pre book a Grab return before you go in, since the app struggles at the circuit after the race.
- Tickets: sold through the Bahrain International Circuit ticket site, not Sepang. International 3 day prices: general admission from US$219, grandstands from US$350, Main Grandstand US$566, all inclusive of tax. MyKad 3 day prices: G Hillstand RM200, B and C Hillstands RM809.60, F Grandstand RM1,291.40, K1 Grandstand RM1,386, Main Grandstand RM2,083.40. Hospitality packages were announced as coming.
- Access: accessible seating is reserved through the Bahrain circuit on +973 1745 0000.
- Internal shuttles: buses link the Main Grandstand side with K1, F and the C hillstand every 15 minutes; they get crowded and the stops have no rain shelter.
- Cash and cards: load a Touch 'n Go card before you travel for trains and tolls.
- Weather and kit: hot and humid all weekend with rain a real possibility; light clothes, a hat, sunscreen, a poncho and a spare shirt.
- Around the event: the fan zone in the Mall Area is open across the weekend; grandstand areas are ticket holders only on Saturday and Sunday.
- Based on the 2026 edition. Last updated 13 September 2026.
Our vlog
I Flew 19 Hours for the Bahrain GP – F1 Dedication or Madness? ✈️🇧🇭
2024
4Frequently Asked Questions
- Best fit if you want to see F1 at Sepang: the circuit has not hosted a Grand Prix in nine years and this edition is a one off, so it is the trip to make now.
- Best fit if you are on a budget in Asia: Malaysian residents pay from RM200 for three days, international general admission is US$219, and every grandstand is covered.
- Best fit if you like watching from the hills: Sepang's general admission hillstands have real views of the track, not just a screen.
- Not ideal if you hate heat and rain: October at Sepang is hot, humid and wet, and the internal shuttle stops have no shelter.
- Not ideal if you need the big screen: the screens are small and uneven across seats, so follow the race on the app.
5Cost Breakdown
| 2026 prices | Price |
|---|---|
| International 3 day general admission | US$219 |
| Grandstands from | US$350 |
| Main Grandstand | US$566 |
| Malaysian MyKad 3 day G Hillstand RM200 (about | US$47) |
| B and C Hillstands RM809.60 (about | US$192) |
| F Grandstand RM1,291.40 (about | US$306) |
| K1 Grandstand RM1,386 (about | US$328) |
| Main Grandstand RM2,083.40 (about | US$493) |
| Taxi or Grab from KLIA RM30 to RM50 (about | US$7 to US$12) |
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