F1 2026: Bahrain Grand Prix Preview and Predictions
The triple-header continues as Formula One heads to an old venue for a different race this weekend.
The 2026 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix is taking place in Malaysia, with the Sepang track hosting its first F1 race in a decade. There’s plenty of excitement in the air as F1 returns to Sepang, with the drivers arriving at a track where most of them haven’t raced before.
For the 2026 Formula One Bahrain Grand Prix, here we present our preview and predictions.
Return of an old venue
With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between the US and Iran, Formula One postponed the Bahrain Grand Prix earlier in the year before moving it to Sepang, which saw its last F1 race back in 2017.
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso are the only two active drivers on the grid who have won in Malaysia, while only a handful of drivers currently on the grid have even raced at the track. The sport has changed a lot in the last decade, and so have the cars. While the teams might have some data about the track, it remains to be seen how their modern-day cars will react and perform on it.
Not only are the majority of the drivers coming to a track they’ve never raced on before, there are a few new teams as well. All in all, we’re set for an exciting weekend with little prior knowledge to go on.
Is Russell an actual title contender?
After a couple of tough races, where he saw his title campaign take a slight hit, Mercedes’ George Russell bounced back in style at Baku. A near-flawless weekend saw Russell cut down his teammate and championship leader Kimi Antonelli’s lead to 66 points with eight races left.
With his performance in Baku, Russell not only returned to winning ways, he also stated after the race that he felt one with his car and had a performance he had been looking forward to. His F1 W17 was pushed to the limit by Max Verstappen’s RB22, but he held on for the win, converting a strong Sunday drive.
Russell put in an absolutely dominating qualifying performance in Baku, going 0.837s quicker than Charles Leclerc in second place. He was untouched and he brought back the qualifying dominance he is known for.
An all-round performance from Russell has put him right back into the title race, especially given Antonelli had a mixed weekend and had a poor qualifying that took him out of contention for the race win. That said, Antonelli made sure to fight back and finish P5 from P16, limiting the damage. The Mercedes duo seem involved in a two-man battle for the Drivers’ title.
History tells us that the Sepang track isn’t the most successful one for Mercedes, but given the form of their drivers this season and the machinery they have at their disposal, it is difficult to look past Mercedes as favourites for the win in Malaysia. Mercedes are also expected to bring some upgrades to Malaysia, which should further work in their favour.
Pole prediction: Kimi Antonelli / George Russell
Race winners prediction: Mercedes / Red Bull
Ferrari out of the race?
Ferrari had the ideal chance to pick up a podium or even a double podium in Baku, especially after Antonelli ended up qualifying P16, while Charles Leclerc started on the front row, with Russell and Lewis Hamilton two rows behind him.
Ferrari started the season with stunning race starts, but those starts have become less and less stellar as the season has progressed. A poor start in Baku saw Leclerc and Hamilton lose places on the opening lap itself, after they were left playing catch-up for the rest of the race. Leclerc was unable to keep Max Verstappen or Oscar Piastri behind, while Hamilton failed to make up any place for the majority of the race. Ultimately, Leclerc and Hamilton finished fourth and sixth, respectively.
Hamilton’s tough Azerbaijan race has allowed Russell to pull out a 37-point lead on him in the Drivers’ standings, while Antonelli is now a whopping 103 points clear of the 41-year-old. Mercedes have a 160-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ standings, while McLaren’s recent uptick in form through Lando Norris’ back-to-back wins in Hungary and the Netherlands has seen them bring down the gap to second-placed Ferrari to 72 points. All’s not lost for Ferrari, though, as Sepang has historically been a strong track for them with seven wins.
The Scuderia will be in the mix for the win in Malaysia, and while Mercedes and Red Bull start as our top two favourites, Ferrari are our dark horses and outside contenders behind the two.
Dark Horses: Ferrari
F1 Bahrain Grand Prix 2026: Race details
Circuit: Sepang International Circuit
Venue: Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
Practice Session 1 time: 10:00 IST, October 2, 2026
Practice Session 2 time: 13:30 IST, October 2, 2026
Practice Session 2: 10:00 IST, October 3, 2026
Qualifying time: 13:30 IST, October 3, 2026
Main race time: 12:30 IST, October 4, 2026
Where to watch: F1 TV Pro / FanCode
