Trackside at Sepang – 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

Your trackside guide to Sepang International Circuit (SIC) , which will host the ‘2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia‘ on October 2-4.

Malaysia F1 Tickets / F1 Experiences / Kuala Lumpur Hotels / Malaysia F1 Facebook Group

The ‘2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia’ is scheduled from October 2-4

Learn more about Malaysia’s surprise return to the 2026 F1 calendar here

This post contains affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of these links.

After last hosting Formula 1 in 2017, Malaysia is making a surprise return to the calendar in 2026 as host of the postponed Bahrain Grand Prix! The race will take place in early October, one week after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku and one week before the Singapore Grand Prix. The race will be hosted at Sepang International Circuit, which is close to Kuala Lumpur International Airport and only 320km (200 mi) from Singapore!

During its previous appearances on the F1 calendar between 1999-2017, Sepang was considered on of the drivers’ favourite tracks. It also sold some of the cheapest tickets on the F1 calendar, but didn’t attract strong local attendances, especially compared to the night race in neighboring Singapore (one of the reasons given for the organizers not extending the race contract after 2017 was that the region was not able to sustain two races, especially on consecutive weekends. But a lot has changed since the last race in 2017, not least the incredible rise in popularity of Formula 1 across the globe during this time.

Sepang is an excellent circuit for trackside viewing, with great views from most vantage points, including the cheapest general admission areas. On the downside, the heat and humidity can be stifling, especially for those not used to it! We recommend wearing light pants or shorts, and taking along a spare shirt or T-shirt to change into later in the day. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes and to keep yourself hydrated throughout the day. Avoid spending too long in the sun, especially between 11am and 3pm. Check the weather forecast and be prepared for rain!

Access & Orientation

Arriving on the transit bus from the airport (KLIA)? You will be dropped off in the parking area a few minutes walk from the circuit entrance, which is close to the Welcome Centre and K1 grandstand, and not far from the main grandstands and mall area. Read Getting There & Around for more information on how to get to Sepang.

If you hold a ticket for one of the other parts of the circuit (F Grandstand, Start Stand or C2 Hillstand for example), then we recommended taking the internal circuit shuttle bus to your gate, saving you a hot and sweaty walk. Buses run every 15 minutes over the weekend (get on near the Welcome Centre), but the service can be overcrowded and disorganized, particularly after qualifying and the race when there is a rush for the buses. There is also no rain shelter; you’ve been warned. Details of internal circuit shuttles are not yet confirmed for 2026

Driving to Sepang? Be sure to enter the car park area which corresponds to your ticket and entry point. There are around 18,000 parking spaces at Sepang. We expect parking tickets will be able to be bought together with race tickets on the main Sepang website. Parking prices have not yet been released for 2026. Previously, cheap parking tickets were sold for an area near the C2 Hillstand, with more expensive spaces available closer to the main grandstands and mall area.

Remember that it is forbidden to bring in any food or drink into the circuit.TBC for 2026

Gates open at 08:00. TBC for 2026

On-track Action

Support Categories: The support schedule for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia has not yet been announced. Given the race has only been confirmed at short notice, there’s a chance there will not be an support races. Previous editions of the Malaysian Grand Prix featured at various times F2, F3, F4 SEA, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia and the Malaysia Championship Series for touring cars.

F1 Schedule: The F1 times from the last time the sport raced in Malaysia are listed below, and subject to confirmation for 2026.

Friday, October 2

11:00-12:30: Formula 1 free practice 1

15:00-16:30: Formula 1 free practice 2

Saturday, October 3

14:00-15:00: Formula 1 free practice 3

17:00-18:00: Formula 1 qualifying

Sunday, October 4

13:30-13:40: F1 driver’s track parade

15:00-17:00: Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 (56 laps or 120 mins)

Free Friday

To be confirmed for 2026. During previous F1 race weekends at Sepang, the circuit offered free access to all grandstands on Friday, regardless of which ticket you had for this day. Should this return in 2026, we recommend checking out the Tower grandstand and some of the areas outside the mall area, especially the K1 and F grandstands and C2 hillstand (take the internal shuttle bus for the latter two areas). Check out some of the views below or read more in our Tickets guide, which includes our own pictures and videos from all main spectator areas at Sepang.

F1 Fanzone, Pit Lane Walk, Fan Forum & Trackside Concerts

Welcome Centre, Mall Area & F1 Fan Zone: The Welcome Centre at the entrance to Sepang serves as a focal point for many of the trackside attractions on offer at Sepang. As well as housing a restaurant, gift shop and trade displays, it is also the entrance to the Mall area which separates the Main grandstand into north and south sections. Many fans make the F1 Fan Zone in the Mall area their hub for the weekend away from their grandstands. This is where the best food and drink, merchandise and sponsor stands can be found. There’s also a small stage, ferris wheel and mini fun fair. Access to the grandstand part of the mall area is restricted to ticket holders on Saturday and Sunday. TBC for 2026

Fan Forum: A fan forum where the drivers appear on stage for interviews is expected to be part of the schedule at Sepang this year, but details won’t be confirmed until closer to race weekend. (Sepang also previously held autograph sessions with the drivers, though we don’t expect these sessions to feature in 2026).

Pit Lane Walk: TBC! At the last edition of the race at Sepang in 2017, a pit lane walk was held on Friday at around 18:30, but was restricted to holders of so-called “Premium Tribune” tickets. Access was from the mall area behind the main grandstand (via underpass to the pits.) Ticket details have not yet been released for 2026 and it’s not yet known if there will be any pit lane walks.

Trackside Concerts: Don’t expect A-lister concerts like in Singapore or Abu Dhabi! Local acts mainly performed at Sepang when it used to be on the F1 schedule. At the most recent editions of the race, there was a small stage in the Mall Area and a bigger stage in the B Hillstand area.

Amenities

Food and drink prices will be updated. Information below relates to 2017!

Food and drink options at Sepang are limited, but thankfully not as overpriced as at many other F1 circuits on the calendar. Water and other soft drinks cost around 5 RM ($1.20 USD) and most meals between 15-30 RM ($4-8 USD). The best food and drink stands are located in the Mall area between the North and South Grandstands, where there are around 15 different choices including Pizza Hut, KFC and a satay bar. The hamburgers and hot dogs are best avoided, as the food is pre-cooked and left to sit in the heat rather than being cooked to order.There are several bars with beers, though we expect higher prices this year with Heineken now having a deal for all trackside beers. If you are sitting in any of the spectator areas away from the Mall area (K1, K2, C1, C2, C3, F) then your options are limited to a food and beverage kiosk selling basic and unhealthy fast food fare, a drinks tent and icecreams. Consider a trip to the Mall area when you are getting hungry.

Don’t Miss Any of the On-Track Action

All grandstands at Sepang have access to large TV screens. However, the screens are not large and not all grandstand seats get equal views. It’s worth taking along a pair of binoculars so you can read lap times and positions on the screen. There is also trackside broadcasting with commentary in English and Malaysian (also available on FM radio). If you are seated in one of the Hillstand areas which don’t have viewing screens (subject to change for 2026), it’s even more important that you have a radio to listen to the trackside commentary. Alternatively, if you have got an internet enabled smart phone, it’s worth paying for the F1 App where you can follow live timing and live commentary for all F1 sessions.