Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia Betting Tips & Predictions

Formula 1 heads to Malaysia this weekend for one of the most unusual races on the 2026 calendar. While the event is officially listed as the Bahrain Grand Prix, the action will take place at the Sepang International Circuit, nearly 4,000km from the race’s usual home. 

The Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix were unable to take place on their original dates, and so the FIA later announced Malaysia as the new host venue for the rescheduled Bahrain event. The change was welcomed by F1 fans, knowing that Sepang’s circuit has some serious potential for an entertaining race.  

However, Sepang hasn’t hosted a Formula 1 race since 2017, when Max Verstappen took the second race win of his career. The 2026 generation of F1 cars has never raced here, and only a handful of drivers on the grid have previous experience of the circuit. Add in Sepang’s heat, humidity, and the possibility of heavy rain, and there are so many ways this weekend can play out. 

Full Weekend Schedule (South African Time – SAST) 

Friday, 2 October 

• Free Practice 1: 06:30–07:30 

• Free Practice 2: 10:00–11:00 

Saturday, 3 October 

• Free Practice 3: 06:30–07:30 

• Qualifying: 10:00–11:00 

Sunday, 4 October 

• Race: 09:00–11:00 

Sepang Race Details 

Before heading into the race weekend, here are some facts and details about the race around Sepang International Circuit. 

Round	16
Location	Sepang, Malaysia
Circuit	Sepang International Circuit
Laps	56
Track Length	5.543km
Race Distance	310.417km
Previous Race Winner	Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing)

Azerbaijan Grand Prix Recap 

George Russell arrives in Malaysia with plenty of momentum after a pretty dominant victory in Azerbaijan last week. 

The Mercedes driver started from pole, executed a perfect strategy, and held off Max Verstappen in the closing stages of the race. That said, Verstappen was close to clinching it, finishing only a tenth (0.196s) behind Russell, with his Red Bull teammate, Isack Hadjar, taking the third step of the podium. 

The current championship leader, Kimi Antonelli, had a much more difficult weekend. He crashed during Qualifying and had to start the race from 16th but managed to recover to P5 overall.  

Both Ferrari drivers scored this weekend with Charles Leclerc ending fourth and Lewis Hamilton sixth. Other points scorers included Arvid Lindblad (P7) for Racing Bulls, Haas drivers, Esteban Ocon (P8) and Oliver Bearman (P9), and Carlos Sainz, scoring a much-deserved point after Williams’ recent struggles.

Key Storylines Heading Into the Weekend 

Sepang International Circuit Will Be Challenging 

The circuit itself combines a lot of long straights, heavy breaking zones, and an incredibly fast middle sector. That means that cars need to perform well in almost every area. 

Turn 1 is a major breaking zone and an important overtaking opportunity but is quite challenging to get right. Other corners like Turn 5 and 6 require more aerodynamic stability and balance through the high-speed section. There are also two long straights after Turns 14 and 15, so drivers will need to really control their exits to take advantage of those zones. 

Then there comes tyre degradation. With the high temperatures and abrasive track surface, tyre degradation will be incredibly high. So, managing those tyres and race strategy is going to be just as important as outright speed. 

The Weather Could Make the Race Unpredictable 

If there’s any variable this weekend that could throw a spanner in the works, it’s the weather. The Free Practice sessions today reached temperatures around 32°C, so it was hot and humid. Saturday and Sunday are forecast to be just as hot, with a 30% chance of rain. 

That said, the weather is extremely unpredictable, and heavy rain could show up at any point throughout the weekend. Teams and drivers will be considering that in their strategies, too. 

As Senna once put it, the rain puts the cars on the same level, not the drivers. This is where experience outshines the package. Newer drivers may find these conditions challenging, might make mistakes, and that’s where safety cars happen. This could shake the grid a lot, and you may see unlikely teams higher up in the points.  

Antonelli vs Russell: The 2026 F1 Championship Fight Continues 

The 2026 F1 championship contenders continue their fight this weekend as Kimi Antonelli still leads with 302 points, with George Russell just behind with 236 points. 

Despite the substantial lead Antonelli has right now, Russell seems to be gaining more confidence and bouncing back after his recent lull in performance. That said, there are still 7 drivers technically in contention for the championship. Both drivers from Ferrari, McLaren, and Max Verstappen, may turn things around from this point onward.  

But that would require a massive failure on Mercedes’ end, which is unlikely at this point.  

Drivers to Watch 

Max Verstappen 

Verstappen has plenty going for him in Malaysia. He’s the most recent race winner in Sepang, and while that was almost a decade ago in 2017, he has strong experience. Red Bull have also recently made some improvements in their 2026 car and are seeing better performance. That will give him confidence. 

George Russell 

It’s difficult to ignore the driver with the most momentum coming into the weekend. Russell won the previous race in Azerbaijan and has the best car on the grid. That combination comes with plenty of potential. 

Mercedes has also brought a significant upgrade to this weekend, so it’s simply a question of whether they will work to improve their performance even more. Our opinion? They will. 

Lewis Hamilton 

Finally, we have Lewis Hamilton. He is one of the most successful Formula 1 drivers of all time with more experience than any other driver, apart from Alonso. He’s won at this circuit once before, and that confidence can make all the difference. If he takes full advantage of the car and Ferrari helps him along with a good strategy, he could have a strong performance.  

Bahrain Grand Prix Betting Tips 

Race Winner 

Max Verstappen 

The weather leaves plenty of potential for an interesting race and recent favourites from Mercedes might not have the advantage. With recent upgrades, Red Bull has made some good gains in performance. Combine that with the fact that he won the previous race here in Malaysia and has more experience than other drivers, and he’s looking good to take the win. 

Best Value Bet 

Safety Car – Yes 

If you’re looking for some easy wins, a safety car is almost guaranteed around here. The circuit itself is already challenging to drive, but if it rains, even more so. Potential rain could cause chaos, and with that, comes safety cars. 

A safety car isn’t guaranteed, but the odds are looking good. So, yes to a safety car seems like a good option.  

Bet on Formula with Bet.co.za 

Unpredictable weather conditions, an exciting track layout with plenty of overtaking opportunities, and half the grid having never raced here? There’s no doubt the Bahrain Grand Prix in Sepang is going to be an interesting race. 

Ready to start placing your bets? Head to bet.co.za and browse our available markets throughout the race weekend and put your F1 knowledge to the test.