|

Bahrain GP in Malaysia brings brutal 33 C heat to Sepang

Dustin Judge
Main grandstand at Sepang International Circuit, host of the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, photographed in 2006

The Bahrain GP in Malaysia brings Formula 1 back to Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur this weekend for the first time since 2017, even though the race carries another country’s name. Round 16 of the season, on Sunday, Oct. 4, starts at 3 a.m. ET on Apple TV. George Russell arrives fresh off his third win of the season in Azerbaijan, and more than half of the 22-car grid has never raced an F1 car at the track.

Bahrain GP in Malaysia schedule and how to watch

  • Practice 1: Friday, Oct. 2, 12:30 a.m. ET
  • Practice 2: Friday, Oct. 2, 4 a.m. ET
  • Practice 3: Saturday, Oct. 3, 12:30 a.m. ET
  • Qualifying: Saturday, Oct. 3, 4 a.m. ET
  • Race: Sunday, Oct. 4, 3 a.m. ET (56 laps)
  • U.S. TV/streaming: Apple TV

Bahrain GP in Malaysia times are converted from the British schedule published by ESPN.

A Bahrain race 4,000 miles from Bahrain

The Bahrain Grand Prix was set for Sakhir on April 12 but was called off because of the war in the Middle East, Sky Sports reported. Total Apex Sports covered the decision in March when F1 scrapped the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia races. In July, the Bahraini and Malaysian governments, F1 and the FIA agreed to move the event to Sepang. Bahrain is paying most of the cost, so the race keeps its name as the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, Sky noted.

Sepang hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix for 18 years and still has the infrastructure to stage a race on short notice, according to ESPN. The race is the middle leg of a triple-header between Azerbaijan and the Singapore Grand Prix on Oct. 11.

Heat hazard: cooling vests or 5 kilograms of ballast

The FIA declared the Bahrain GP in Malaysia a heat-hazard event, the third this season after the Austrian and Italian Grands Prix, BBC Sport reported. The status applies when race-day temperatures are forecast above 31 C (88 F), and the forecast calls for 31 to 33 C (88 to 91 F) with high humidity and a chance of rain each day.

Drivers may use a cooling system that pumps chilled liquid through a fireproof top under their overalls. It is optional, but anyone who skips it must carry 5 kilograms (about 11 pounds) of ballast. Some drivers avoid the kit because of discomfort or because the coolant has run out before races ended, the BBC noted, and cockpit temperatures can top 40 C (104 F).

Russell’s momentum and a Mercedes upgrade

Russell cut Kimi Antonelli’s lead in the drivers’ standings to 66 points with his Baku win, according to ESPN. Mercedes is bringing a major upgrade to Malaysia, and McLaren is expected to be strong on the high-speed layout, ESPN reported.

Only 10 of this year’s 22 drivers were on the grid when F1 last raced at Sepang in 2017, so the Bahrain GP in Malaysia is new ground for most of the field, Sky Sports noted. Lando Norris expects disorder. “Malaysia will be pretty chaotic in terms of racing because of the straights and corner setup that you have there,” he told Sky. Norris has been in the news this week for other reasons, as covered in the Norris apology to Franco Colapinto.

Verstappen wants one win

Max Verstappen lost the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to Russell by less than two tenths of a second, his fourth runner-up finish in eight races, and he is sixth in the standings. He arrives at the Bahrain GP in Malaysia facing what would be his first winless season since his 2015 rookie year, The Associated Press reported.

“We are scoring quite a few podiums now but I want to win. That’s what I’m here for and I’m getting close, but I want to at least win one race this year. So I hope we can do it at some point,” Verstappen said Thursday. Asked which tracks might suit him, he said, “I don’t really care to be honest. As long as I win one that would be nice.” Verstappen won the last Malaysian Grand Prix in 2017, according to ESPN.

Ferrari’s struggles are another subplot, as Lewis Hamilton showed when he backed Fred Vasseur amid a podium drought. More coverage is on the site’s Formula 1 page.

Reporting from ESPN, Sky Sports, BBC Sport and The Associated Press contributed to this Bahrain GP in Malaysia preview.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.