Sepang in Malaysia will host a Formula 1 race in October 2026, teams were told the news on Tuesday.

The fixture replaces the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix from earlier this year after security worries in the Gulf state forced the cancellation.

Sepang has not staged an F1 race since 2017, and preparing the track again comes with no shortage of problems.

Organisers are up against questions over whether the circuit can be prepared on schedule after years of slow progress.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Sepang has been slow to bring back major international events, which has raised eyebrows among fans.

If preparations stall before race weekend, organisers could still pull the plug, and Imola in Italy is lined up as the fallback if needed.

The October date is framed as a fresh start for Southeast Asian motorsport, though the final stretch remains unclear.

Tickets and detailed schedules have not yet been released, and confirmed logistics are expected in the lead-up to October.

Fans in Southeast Asia will be keen to see if it really happens as the countdown to race day gets tighter.