Sepang in Malaysia will host a Formula 1 race in October 2026, plans were formally announced on Tuesday.

The round replaces the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix from earlier this year after unrest in the Gulf state left the calendar with a gap.

Sepang has not staged an F1 race since 2017, and getting the circuit race-ready again comes with plenty of hurdles.

Organisers are bracing for questions over whether the circuit can be ready in time after years of dragging their feet.

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

If deadlines are missed before race weekend, organisers can scrap the event altogether, and Imola in Italy is lined up as the fallback if needed.

The October date marks a return for Southeast Asian motorsport, though the last few months of prep remains conditional on funding and work going to plan.

Tickets and detailed schedules have not yet been released, and more concrete plans are expected in the next phase.

Fans across the region will be hoping for the best as the countdown to race day gets tighter.