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Formula 1 has spent months reshuffling its calendar after unrest in the Middle East forced the cancellation of both the Saudi Arabian and Bahraini rounds earlier this season. While the sport initially hoped to reinstate Bahrain, escalating instability made that impossible. Malaysia emerged as the solution last week following a series of leaks, with official confirmation arriving over the weekend.
The race will retain the 'Bahrain Grand Prix' name for commercial reasons but will be held at Sepang, slotted between the Azerbaijan and Singapore rounds. Fan reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Sepang built a reputation for delivering unpredictable, overtaking-heavy races during its 19-year stint on the calendar from 1999 to 2017, and its return addresses a gap left by circuits that have struggled to produce similar entertainment.
Verstappen's Sepang milestones
Max Verstappen will return to the Sepang International Circuit later this year after Formula 1 confirmed Malaysia's reinstatement as a replacement for the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix. The circuit holds particular significance for the Dutchman, who scored his maiden championship points there in 2015 and claimed his second career victory in 2017, the last time F1 raced at the venue.
's connection to the circuit runs deep. At just 17 years old in 2015, he crossed the line seventh to claim his first world championship points in only his second Formula 1 race. Less than two years later, in 2017, he took victory in what turned out to be Sepang's final race before its initial departure from the calendar. That triumph made him the last driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix at the Malaysian venue, a footnote that has gained resonance as his career tally has since climbed to 71 victories.
Few observers in 2017 would have predicted the scale of dominance that followed. Verstappen's win in Malaysia came during his third season in Formula 1, at a point when he was still regarded as a prodigious talent rather than the championship-defining force he became. The circuit witnessed an early inflection point in that trajectory.
The Verstappen family legacy
Malaysia also holds weight for the Verstappen family beyond Max's achievements. His father Jos delivered one of the standout performances of his career at Sepang in 2001, navigating torrential rain conditions to demonstrate car control that still circulates on social media. The elder Verstappen's drive remains a reference point for wet-weather racecraft, and footage of his handling in the downpour continues to resurface among fans and analysts alike.
Only three active winners
Verstappen is one of just three current drivers with a Malaysian Grand Prix victory to their name. Fernando Alonso, now at Aston Martin, leads the group with three wins at Sepang. Lewis Hamilton has one victory at the circuit. The scarcity of active drivers with experience winning there adds another layer of intrigue to the race's return, particularly for teams and drivers who have never competed at a venue that demands specific setup compromises between low-downforce straights and technical middle sectors.
With Sepang's reintroduction confirmed, the calendar now features a circuit that favours overtaking and variable weather patterns. Whether it produces the drama that defined its original tenure remains to be seen, but Verstappen will arrive with more history there than most.
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