The Malaysian Grand Prix (, officially the Malaysia Grand Prix in 1963–1965 and 2011–2017, and Malayan Grand Prix in 1962) was an annual auto race held in Malaysia. It was part of the Formula One World Championship from 1999 to 2017 and it was held during these years at the Sepang International Circuit. The Malaysian Grand Prix was held annually from 1962 to 1964 in Singapore, while it was a member of the Malaysian federation. Subsequent Grands Prix were held in Peninsular Malaysia only.
History
Singapore and Shah Alam From 1962 to 1965 an annual race weekend for motorcycles and Formula Libre cars was held at the Thomson Road circuit in Singapore, named the Malaysia Grand Prix. After Singapore gained independence from Malaysia in 1965 the event was renamed the Singapore Grand Prix and continued until 1973.
Between Singapore's departure from the Malaysian federation and the opening of Sepang Circuit, Malaysia hosted a range of other racing categories in the Malaysian Grand Prix at Shah Alam's own circuit between 1968 and 1995 including Formula Libre (1968), Tasman Formula (1969–1972), Formula Atlantic (1973–1975), Formula Two (1977), and Formula Pacific (1978–1982).
Sepang International Circuit As part of a series of major infrastructure projects in the 1990s under Mahathir Mohamad's government, the Sepang International Circuit was constructed between 1997 and 1999 close to Putrajaya, the then-newly founded administrative capital of the country, with the intent of hosting the Malaysian Grand Prix. Similar to the country's other tracks, the circuit is known for its unpredictable humid tropical weather, varying from clear furnace-hot days to tropical rain storms.
The inaugural Grand Prix at Sepang was held in , and saw Michael Schumacher return to the sport after his absence due to a broken leg sustained at that year's British Grand Prix. Ferrari dominated the race, with Schumacher handing the victory to title-hopeful teammate Eddie Irvine, only for both Ferraris to be disqualified due to a technical irregularity, before later being reinstated.
From 2001, the Malaysian Grand Prix moved from the end of the season to the beginning, which has seen some topsy-turvy results as teams and drivers got to grips with their new equipment, with many races heavily influenced by the winners and losers of the scramble for position into the tight double hairpin bend at the first corner.
The 2001 event was hit by a heavy rainstorm in the middle of the race which made conditions very difficult. Conditions were so bad that the two Ferraris of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello spun off almost simultaneously at the same corner. Remarkably, they both recovered to score a Ferrari 1–2, because for a long time they were nearly 5 seconds per lap faster than anyone else on the field. Elsewhere, the race was even surprisingly led by Jos Verstappen, who started 18th but managed to be 6th by the end of lap 1. However, as the track began to dry, he fell back to seventh, but his efforts to keep positions were memorable.
On 8 April 2007, shortly before the 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix, Formula One president Bernie Ecclestone was quoted as stating that the circuit was getting "shabby" and "a bit tired" from the lack of care, describing it as "an old house that needs a bit of redecorating". He noted that the circuit itself is not the issue, but rather the surrounding environment; rubbish is said to be littered all over the place, potentially damaging the circuit's good reputation when it was opened in 1999.
The day before, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi had met Ecclestone to discuss an extension of the Formula One contract beyond 2010. While the government had been given an additional extension to host the Grand Prix until 2015, the government was still mulling the offer, as of 23 April 2007. The circuit was given a renewed contract in 2006 to organise the Malaysian Grand Prix for another five years.
On 13 February 2008, the management of the Sepang International Circuit announced its aim to become Formula One's second night race from after Singapore, following discussions about buying a floodlighting system. Mokhzani Mahathir, the chairman of the circuit, was quoted as saying that the lights "might be custom made for the circuit". However, the organisers ended up settling for a late-afternoon start time.
The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix was held around sunset, starting at 17:00 local time (09:00 UTC). This proved disastrous due to heavy rainfall. The race was red-flagged and ultimately not restarted due to the low light level making it through the clouds. The race ended on lap 33, and with the regulations requiring 42 laps for full points, both drivers' and constructors' results were halved in relation to points. Later that night, Jamiroquai made an appearance in a concert for the weekend.
On 7 April 2017, it was announced that the 2017 race would be the swansong of the Malaysian Grand Prix. The race's contract was due to expire in 2018, but its future had been under threat due to rising hosting fees and declining ticket sales. Malaysia's youth and sports minister at the time Khairy Jamaluddin said on Twitter: "I think we should stop hosting the F1. At least for a while. Cost too high, returns limited. When we first hosted the F1 it was a big deal. First in Asia outside Japan. Now so many venues. No first mover advantage. Not a novelty." The BBC reported that "Malaysia had struggled in recent years to attract a significant crowd, its appeal having been damaged by the more glamorous night-time event on a street track in Singapore."
F1 activity at Sepang after 2017 In August 2025, Malaysia's Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh said that there were no immediate plans to revive the Malaysian Grand Prix, citing high hosting fees demanded by Liberty Media and significant investments to maintain the Sepang International Circuit to the necessary standards. Yeoh argued that these funds represented a significant opportunity cost better allocated toward athlete development and other local sports programmes. Additionally, she noted that a crowded global race calendar and direct regional competition such as Singapore made securing a viable, sustainable permanent slot highly improbable unless private corporate sponsors stepped forward to fully underwrite the event.
The geopolitical landscape shifted in July 2026 when The Athletic reported that the Sepang circuit had emerged as an alternative venue for the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix after its originally scheduled April date was called off due to the 2026 Iran war. Following this disclosure, the Youth and Sports Minister, Mohammed Taufiq Johari, confirmed that the government was actively evaluating the emergency proposal to host a replacement event. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim subsequently signaled that a definitive decision was imminent, while BBC Formula One correspondent Andrew Benson broke news that a provisional agreement had been brokered to stage the race in October, subject to a formal regulatory sign-off.
On 26 July 2026, Formula One and the FIA officially confirmed that the Sepang International Circuit would host the rescheduled race from 2 to 4 October 2026, filling the calendar gap between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grand Prix. Because the Bahraini government remained the primary financial promoter and underwrote the replacement costs, the event uniquely retained its original commercial identity rather than being designated as a standalone Malaysian Grand Prix. Consequently, the event is officially known as the "2026 Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia". Bahrain also retained all ticket pricing rights and race proceeds.
Winners By year A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
Year Driver Car Class Location Report 1962 Yong Nam KeeSingapore Fling, Motor Sport, March 2006, pages 72 to 77Jaguar E-TypeThomson RoadReport 1963 Albert PoonLotus 23Report 1964Rained out after 7 laps with no winner declared. 1965 Albert PoonVroom Vroom… Looking Back at the Old Singapore Grand Prix, remembersingapore.org Retrieved 31 December 2018Lotus 23Thomson RoadReport 1966–1967Not held as Thomson Road circuit was now in an independent Singapore.Thomson Road circuit held the Singapore Grand Prix until 1973. 1968 Hengkie IriawanDerek Fulluck, Elfin takes Malaysian GP, Autosport, September 27, 1968.Elfin 600-FordFormula LibreShah AlamReport 1969 Tony Maw1969 Malaysian Grand Prix, www.motorsportmagazine.com Retrieved 31 December 2018Elfin 600-FordTasman FormulaReport 1970 John MacDonaldBrabham-FordTasman FormulaReport 1971 John MacDonaldBrabham-FordTasman FormulaReport 1972 Harvey SimonElfin-FordTasman FormulaReport 1973 Sonny RajahMarch-FordFormula AtlanticReport 1974 John MacDonaldRalt-FordFormula AtlanticReport 1975 John MacDonaldRalt-FordFormula AtlanticReport 1976 Not held 1977 Patrick TambayMarch-BMW Formula TwoShah AlamReport 1978 Graeme LawrenceMarch-FordFormula PacificReport 1979 Ken SmithMarch-FordFormula PacificReport 1980 Steve MillenRalt-FordFormula PacificReport 1981 Andrew MiedeckeRalt-FordFormula PacificReport 1982 Andrew MiedeckeRalt-FordFormula PacificReport 1983–1998Not held Eddie Irvine Ferrari Formula OneSepang Report Michael Schumacher Ferrari Formula One Report Michael Schumacher Ferrari Formula One Report Ralf Schumacher Williams-BMW Formula One Report Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes Formula One Report Michael Schumacher Ferrari Formula One Report Fernando Alonso Renault Formula One Report Giancarlo Fisichella Renault Formula One Report Fernando Alonso McLaren-Mercedes Formula One Report Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari Formula One Report Jenson Button Brawn-Mercedes Formula One Report Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault Formula One Report Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault Formula One Report Fernando Alonso Ferrari Formula One Report Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault Formula One Report Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Formula One Report Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Formula One Report Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer Formula One Report Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing-TAG Heuer Formula One ReportSource:
Repeat winners (drivers) A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
Drivers in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in 2026.
Wins Driver Years won 4 John MacDonald 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975 Sebastian Vettel 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 3 Michael Schumacher 2000, 2001, 2004 Fernando Alonso 2005, 2007, 2012 2 Albert Poon 1963, 1965 Andrew Miedecke 1981, 1982 Kimi Räikkönen 2003, 2008Source:
Repeat winners (constructors) A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
Teams in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in 2026.
Wins Constructor Years won7 Ferrari 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 20155 Red Bull 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017 4 March 1972, 1977, 1978, 1979 Ralt 1975, 1980, 1981, 19823 Brabham 1970, 1971, 1973 2 Lotus 1963, 1965 Elfin 1968, 1969 Renault 2005, 2006 McLaren 2003, 2007Source:
Repeat winners (engine manufacturers) A pink background indicates an event which was not part of the Formula One World Championship.
Manufacturers in bold are competing in the Formula One championship in 2026.
Wins Constructor Years won15 Ford *1963, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 19827 Ferrari 1999, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 20155 Renault 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 20134 Mercedes **2003, 2007, 2009, 20142 BMW1977, 2002 TAG Heuer ***2016, 2017Source: * Built by Cosworth
** Built by Ilmor in 2003
*** Built by Renault
Support races Formula BMW Asia and Porsche Carrera Cup Asia have supported the Malaysian Grand Prix since 2003.
References
External links
Sepang International Circuit official website Motorsport The Asian Way by Roderick Eime Malaysia statistics