TGR Haas F1 Team heads to the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia for Round 16 of the 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, where the Bahrain Grand Prix is being held under a temporary relocation after conflict in the wider Gulf region prevented the race from taking place at its traditional home of Sakhir International Circuit.
The Bahrain Grand Prix, which first joined the Formula 1 calendar in 2004 as the sport’s inaugural Gulf venue, will run under the one-off name of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The rearranged event slots between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix, forming the season’s first triple-header.
Sepang, purpose-built and first used by Formula 1 in 1999, hosted 18 editions of the Malaysian Grand Prix before dropping off the calendar after 2017. Located near Kuala Lumpur, the circuit features two long straights separated by a hairpin, alongside several medium- to high-speed flowing sections. Its wide layout encourages side-by-side racing, while historically high tire degradation opens up strategic variety.
Haas arrives at Sepang on the back of its first double points finish of the 2026 season, secured last time out in Azerbaijan. Head of Car Engineering Hoagy Nidd flagged the circuit’s physical demands ahead of the weekend. “It’s our first visit to Sepang since 2017. It’s an interesting circuit with a good spread of corners,” Nidd said. “It can be dominated by very high track temperatures, some of the highest we see all year, and some pretty high ambient temperatures, which can make for some challenges, particularly brake temps that will need to be managed early in the race.”
Nidd also highlighted the weather as a key variable. “It tends to rain pretty hard late in the afternoon most days, around the time of qualifying, so that could be challenging and keep us on our toes.”
For driver Ollie Bearman, the race weekend marks a first visit to both Malaysia and the Sepang circuit. Bearman traveled to the country immediately after the Azerbaijan race. “Sepang is a flowing, high-speed track where it’s all about getting into a rhythm and letting the car flow from one section to another,” he said.
Teammate Esteban Ocon is among 10 current grid drivers who last raced at Sepang in 2017, when he scored a top-10 finish. “It’s great to come out of Baku with double points for the team. The aim will be to keep the momentum going this weekend,” Ocon said. “The weather in Malaysia can be unpredictable, so this could create an exciting opportunity for us.”