Audi’s big R26 upgrade went to Baku and came home without a point. The next chance to make it count is a Bahrain Grand Prix held nowhere near Bahrain. Round 16, the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, runs at Sepang International Circuit from October 2 to 4. For Audi Revolut F1 Team, it’s the second race of the Asian triple-header and the first real test of the new parts on a permanent circuit.
Why the Bahrain GP is at Sepang
The race was postponed from its original Sakhir date. Formula 1 and the FIA then confirmed that Malaysia would host it on Bahrain’s behalf, slotting it between Azerbaijan and Singapore. It keeps the Bahrain name and counts as the same championship round, just in a different country on a very different track.
Weekend schedule
Times are in Malaysia Time (MYT, UTC+8) and Eastern Time (EDT, UTC−4), which is 12 hours behind. F1 says the schedule may still change.
| Session | Day | MYT | ET |
|---|---|---|---|
| FP1 | Fri Oct 2 | 12:30–13:30 | 00:30–01:30 |
| FP2 | Fri Oct 2 | 16:00–17:00 | 04:00–05:00 |
| FP3 | Sat Oct 3 | 12:30–13:30 | 00:30–01:30 |
| Qualifying | Sat Oct 3 | 16:00–17:00 | 04:00–05:00 |
| Race | Sun Oct 4 | 15:00 | 03:00 |
The race runs 56 laps of the 5.543 km circuit, with a two-hour time limit. If you’re watching from North America, lights out is at 3 a.m. Eastern on Sunday.
Sepang: heat, tires, and a classic layout
Sepang opened in 1999 and hasn’t hosted Formula 1 since 2017. It’s a wide, flowing circuit with long straights, heavy braking zones, and fast sweeping corners, about as far from Baku’s tight street layout as you can get.
The heat and humidity weigh on drivers and cars all weekend, and tropical rain can arrive with little warning. The abrasive surface is also hard on tires, so long-run pace in practice usually tells you more than a single fast lap.
What the R26 has to prove
In Baku, the upgrade weekend ended with Nico Hülkenberg 11th. Gabriel Bortoleto crossed the line 13th but dropped to 15th after a 10-second penalty for overtaking under yellow flags. Neither scored. Our Baku recap has the full story.
The team is betting that Sepang gives a truer picture. In its pre-race preview, racing director Allan McNish said a more traditional layout should “more accurately show the benefit of our upgrades,” and that the goal is to fight for points. That’s the expectation, and this weekend will test it.
There was one encouraging sign in Baku. After the race, Bortoleto said his pace through the corners felt like the opposite of what the team had struggled with all weekend. If that carries over to a track with real high-speed corners, Sepang could look very different.
Hülkenberg knows Sepang well from his earlier F1 years. He describes it as a track without famous headline corners but with technical sections that reward getting the details right, made tougher by the heat. He also said Baku taught the team “a few useful things” about the new package. Bortoleto has never raced an F1 car at Sepang, so Friday practice matters even more on his side of the garage.
What to watch this weekend
- Long runs in FP2. Tire wear usually decides races here, and it will show whether the R26 is kinder to its rubber after the upgrade.
- Getting out of Q1. Both cars went out in Q1 in Baku. Reaching Q2 would be the first clear sign the new parts are working.
- Rain. A wet session can scramble the order and reward whoever adapts fastest.
If the upgrade works, Sepang is where it should show. If Audi leaves Malaysia empty-handed again, the questions about the package get harder heading into Singapore on October 11.
Watch on F1 TV or your local broadcaster, with live timing on formula1.com and the F1 app. We’ll be posting updates on Instagram @audi_obsession all weekend.
Sources: Formula 1 — Bahrain GP in Malaysia 2026 timetable; Formula 1 — Bahrain race hub; Formula 1 — what time / how to watch; Formula 1 / FIA — Malaysia hosts Bahrain GP; Audi Revolut F1 Team — 2026 Bahrain GP in Malaysia preview; Formula 1 — Bortoleto penalty after Azerbaijan GP; F1Mania — Bortoleto on Baku corner pace (SporTV); Audi Obsession — Baku recap.