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

The event replaces the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix from earlier this year after protests and disruption in the Gulf state forced the cancellation.

Sepang has not staged an F1 race since 2017, and bringing it back comes with a fair few headaches.

Organisers must deal with questions over whether the circuit can be brought up to standard after years of slow progress.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Sepang has been slow to bring back major international events, sparking concern from drivers and teams.

If issues arise before race weekend, organisers can scrap the event altogether, 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 getting to the chequered flag remains unclear.

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

Fans watching for updates will be keeping a close eye as the countdown to race day continues.