Formula 1 moves on to Sepang this weekend for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia – and here are the global start times for Sunday’s race.
George Russell put in a dominant performance last weekend in Azerbaijan to claim victory and close the gap to Mercedes team mate Kimi Antonelli in the drivers’ standings to 66 points. Will Mercedes win again, or can Max Verstappen finally claim his first win of the 2026 season after just missing out in Baku?
Head to the RACE HUB or scroll down for more on how and when you can watch the action, along with the global start times for each session.
What time is the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
Free Practice 1 will kick off the weekend on Friday, October 2 at 1230 local time, with Free Practice 2 following at 1600.
Free Practice 3 takes place at 1230 on Saturday, October 3, ahead of Qualifying at 1600 before the Grand Prix itself gets underway at 1500 on Sunday, October 4.
Check out the image below to find all the global start times for Sunday’s race.
How can I watch the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia?
You can enjoy coverage from every session live on F1 TV Pro (available in selected countries), which brings fans closer to the action via exclusive features like onboard cameras on all 22 of the drivers’ cars, and access to both Pre-Race and Post-Race Shows.
F1 TV Pro can be streamed easily via Apple TV, Chromecast Generation 2 and above, Android TV, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Roku. F1 TV Pro is free of ad breaks and available with commentary in six languages.
Fans can also watch via F1 TV Premium, a premier service that invites fans to step into the heart of the action with the ability to watch races in 4K Ultra HD/HDR on up to six different devices, as well as a personalised Multiview feature available on select devices with 26 different feeds to choose from.
Viewers can watch every F1 Grand Prix, F1 Sprint, Qualifying and practice session live in 4K Ultra HD/HDR at home, with F2, F3, F1 ACADEMY and Porsche Supercup sessions also available to watch live on the platform.
Alternatively, live timing will be available on F1.com and the F1 app across every session during the Grand Prix weekend.
Where is the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia taking place?
The Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia will be held at the Sepang International Circuit, the venue having last hosted an F1 race in 2017 after being introduced to the calendar in 1999.
With this year’s earlier Bahrain Grand Prix postponed, a new date and venue will now welcome the event for the 16th round of the season.
The circuit is known for its mixture of fast, flowing sections combined with long straights, while high humidity and intense heat will test the drivers’ fitness.
Verstappen was the driver to win when F1 last visited the Malaysian venue, while both Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have also stood on the top step previously.
What is the weather forecast in Sepang?
As things stand, the weather looks set to be warm and humid for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia weekend, with sunny spells, light winds and a chance of a rain shower.
The region is known for its high humidity and thunderstorms that threaten to develop and cause a deluge at short notice.
