Kuala lumpur: The Ministry of Youth and Sports (KBS) is actively holding discussions and conducting assessments on the possibility of hosting a Formula 1 (F1) race at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) to replace the Bahrain Grand Prix this October. Youth and Sports Minister Dr. Mohammed Taufiq Johari stated that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and KBS had received early indications regarding Malaysia potentially hosting an F1 race after the country's last event in 2017.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, KBS is committed to supporting the development of national sports, including motorsports. Dr. Johari mentioned that further developments will be announced once finalized. Motorsports portal the-race.com reported that Malaysia could be added to the F1 calendar this year if the conflict involving Iran continues to cause disruptions.

In mid-March, the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races for April were postponed due to the ongoing conflict, reducing the season's calendar from 24 to 22 races, as reported by German news agency dpa. If the final two races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi cannot proceed due to the conflict in West Asia, F1 management is considering alternatives.

Initially, organizers hoped to reschedule the Bahrain GP for early October, between the Azerbaijan and Singapore races. However, this is now unlikely due to renewed tensions between the United States and Iran. As a result, Malaysia and Turkiye are potential candidates to host a race on October 4. F1 is expected to make a decision during its mid-season break after the Hungarian GP in Budapest, before the championship resumes at the end of August.

The Sepang International Circuit hosted the Malaysian GP from 1999 to 2017 before it was removed from the calendar due to rising hosting costs and licensing fees.