Malaysia joins the race calendar – finale in Imola?

Malaysia is making a last-minute return to the Formula 1 calendar this year. As the premier motorsport series announced, the Sepang Circuit, south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, will host a race on the first weekend of October, between the events in Azerbaijan and Singapore. Imola, however, could host the season finale due to the escalation of the Iran-Iraq War.

July 26, 2026

From: dpa/apa/sn

“Once again, sport has demonstrated its ability to adapt, find solutions, and implement them,” said Formula 1 boss Stefano Domenicali. The Grand Prix on October 4th is therefore considered a kind of replacement race for the Bahrain Grand Prix and is officially called the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

Formula 1 raced in Malaysia from 1999 to 2017. However, the organizers could no longer afford the multi-million dollar hosting fees. Since then, the country has hosted other series, including MotoGP.

In mid-March, Formula 1 removed the races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia from the calendar for April due to the security situation following the outbreak of the Iran-Iraq War, without replacement, but did not cancel them entirely. This temporarily reduced the world tour from 24 to 22 Grand Prix. With the return of Sepang, which is logistically well-situated near Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the calendar will temporarily expand back to 23 events.

However, due to the renewed escalation of the Iran war, the last two Grand Prix races of the year, on November 29th in Qatar and December 6th in Abu Dhabi, are more than questionable. Formula 1 bosses are exploring their options.

Imola as an alternative?

Portimão in Portugal is considered a possible venue for the season finale in December. The Algarve event last hosted the race in 2020 and 2021 during the coronavirus crisis, and is scheduled to return as a regular fixture in 2027 and 2028. However, Imola in Italy is also reportedly a possibility. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix was removed from this year's calendar. Furthermore, temperatures in the region are low at this time of year, allowing the Formula 1 tires to operate within their optimal window.

However, Imola is also considered a candidate because the Italian championship leader, Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, could become world champion for the first time this year. For the teenager from Bologna, who could become the first Italian champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953, a final in Imola would be a home race.

Keywords Motorsport Formula 1 imola