Jordan's Track Talk

Tag: Malaysia

  • R16 – Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

    Max Verstappen converted pole position into victory during Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, which was impacted by heavy rain, featured an entertaining crossover from intermediate tyres to slicks and saw overtaking from start to finish – as well as a dramatic late retirement.

    After a delayed start and then a suspended start procedure, as several drivers struggled to maintain speed on the initial formation lap, the race eventually got underway in slippery, mixed conditions – leading to split tyre strategies and plenty of early action.

    Polesitter Verstappen fell behind Mercedes pair Kimi Antonelli and Russell on the run down to Turn 1, with all three drivers running intermediate tyres, but he soon settled into a rhythm and managed to pick off the Silver Arrows either side of a Safety Car that was deployed when Valtteri Bottas spun out.

    That Safety Car period represented the ideal window for the intermediate starters to switch to slick tyres, with those who line up on slick compounds getting caught out, and threats of further rain not materialising before the chequered flag.

    Verstappen controlled proceedings after working his way back into P1, pulling away from Antonelli and Russell – who had their own battle over second – and navigating a late Virtual Safety Car/Safety Car combination to secure his and Red Bull’s first win of the 2026 campaign.

    Antonelli was already set to extend his championship lead over Russell by three points when his teammate dramatically ground to a halt on the start/finish straight behind that final Safety Car, dealing another blow to the Briton’s already slim title chances.

    The full top 10 are- P1: Verstappen, P2: Antonelli, P3: Hamilton, P4: Leclerc, P5: Hadjar, P6: Piastri, P7: Lawson, P8: Alonso, P9: Norris and P10: Lindblad.

    What a result for Max Verstappen! If you told him at the beginning of the season he would’ve got a win I think he would’ve thought it was very far away, but he did it and he did it in style.
    As for his teammate, Hadjar finished 5th, a decent result – a shame he didn’t manage another podium but a very good points haul for the team.

    A great result for Antonelli, at the start of the weekend he seemed to have struggled slightly but he managed to make up for it and get on the podium for that all important Championship fight.
    Which is on to my next topic – is it still a Championship fight? Russell DNF’ed after it was looking like a decent weekend for him however can he get back mentally strong for these final 7 races… It’s a big ask considering how on form Antonelli has been.

    Third for Hamilton, back on the podium again which we love to see – but it does make you think could he have potentially got a bit more if what went wrong didn’t? We will never know…
    As for his teammate, Leclerc, he finished closely behind in fourth, so a good points haul for the team!

    Sixth for Piastri a good result for him, managed to keep it out of trouble and score some points. As for his teammate, a disappointing weekend with Norris finishing ninth not what they would’ve expected and to see that it was the straightline speed they was struggling with is not ideal.

    Double points for the Racing Bulls – Lawson finishing 7th and Lindblad in 10th. Really great result for them considering it’s both of their first time driving at this track.

    And rounding out the point scorers, is Mr Fernando Alonso who finished 9th – a really great result for the whole team. Hopefully a step in the right direction!

  • Mercedes reveal special livery

    Mercedes have unveiled a special livery that will adorn the W17 at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

    During the weekend at the Sepang International Circuit, the Silver Arrows’ challenger will sport a design honouring the colours of the team’s title partner PETRONAS, with the car featuring shades of green alongside its usual black.

    The event will mark F1’s return to the Malaysian track – which previously hosted Grans Prix between 1999 and 2017 – and Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff has acknowledged that the venue is a special one for the team.

    Alongside their special livery, Wolff confirmed that Mercedes will bring an update package to Malaysia which the team home will be “another step forward”.

    This weekend has extra significance for us because of our long-standing relationship with PETRONAS. It’s fantastic to see Formula 1 returning to Sepang and we should also recognise the effort that has gone into making this Grand Prix happen. It has required strong collaboration between Malaysia and Bahrain, and that deserves credit. Once the cars are on track, though, our focus is on the job ahead. Sepang is a demanding circuit that asks every question of the car. You need performance in the high-speed corners, good traction, strong tyre management and consistency in hot, challenging conditions. It is one of the more complete tests on the calendar.
    Wolff on the news.

  • F1 & FIA confirm Malaysia will join 2026 calendar

    Formula 1 and the FIA can confirm that Malaysia will host the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang International Circuit from October 2nd – 4 2026, between the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grand Prix.

    The event, which is subject to final agreements and official sign-off, including the approval of the World Motor Sport Council, will become the Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.

    This agreement, reached between Formula 1, the FIA, the Government of Bahrain, and the Government of Malaysia, allows Formula 1 to preserve a Grand Prix that would otherwise not have happened. The rest of the schedule for 2026 remains unchanged.

    Sepang – which made its debut as an F1 venue in 1999 – is one of Formula 1’s most iconic and challenging circuits, known for its passionate fans, exciting racing and unpredictable weather.

    We are delighted to confirm that Malaysia will host the Bahrain Grand Prix in 2026. Once again, the sport has demonstrated its ability to adapt, find solutions, and deliver, creating an exciting moment for everyone who follows Formula 1. I would like to express our sincere thanks to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa and His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, as well as their respective governments for making this extraordinary outcome possible through their vision, commitment, and decisive action. Of course, I would also like to thank FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem for his partnership and collaboration throughout the process. Most importantly, this is fantastic news for our fans. They will continue to enjoy a full and exciting Formula 1 calendar, while also seeing the sport return to a great venue. Malaysia is an incredible country, and Sepang holds a special place in Formula 1 history. It will provide a spectacular setting for racing and an unforgettable experience for fans at the circuit and watching around the world.
    Stefano Domenicali, President & CEO of Formula 1.

    I am incredibly proud of the collaboration that will enable Malaysia to host the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix at the iconic Sepang circuit later this year. Throughout this process, the FIA, Formula One Management, and our partners in Bahrain have worked tirelessly to explore every option, with the safety and wellbeing of the teams, volunteers, officials, our colleagues, and fans remaining our highest priority. Malaysia has long held an important place in the history of Formula 1 and the return of the Championship to Sepang is testament to our close relationship with the Motorsports Association of Malaysia, the continued commitment of the Malaysian Government, and the strength of international cooperation within our sport. My sincere thanks to His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of the Kingdom of Bahrain, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, for their vision and support in making this possible. We look forward to welcoming the global motorsport community back to Sepang.
    Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of FIA.

  • Should Malaysia make a comeback?

    Should Malaysia make a comeback?

    The Malaysian Grand Prix, had been apart of the F1 World Championship from 1999 to 2017, where it was held at the Sepang International Circuit. In 2017, it got announced that the Malaysian Grand Prix was cancelled due to not being profitable.

    But with the F1 calendar having changed so much in recent years, with new tracks being added and old tracks coming back and the recent events of Russia no longer holding a GP, could we see Malaysia make a comeback?

    Twitter in Malaysia, has recently been trending with #Sepang, soon after going viral the hashtag went worldwide. A Malaysian motorsport news outlet has claimed that the Circuit committee has conducted an emergency meeting, then a local motorsport outlet said that the meeting was regarding hosting F1. As well as this, Sepang Circuit on twitter tweeted a number of tweets hinting at the idea of a return for F1.

    The Malaysian GP lost its glamour to its neighbour, Singapore as the start-studded night time Grand Prix attracted major crowds compared to Sepang. The Marina Bay Circuit then became the hotspot for F1 fans in the South East Asian region.

    But with the Singapore GP not being on the calendar since 2019 and only making a return this year, could their be room for the Malaysian GP to make a comeback?

    My Opinion-

    I personally think it should make a comeback, I used to love watching the Malaysian GP, but since covid and with South East Asia not having a GP in over 3 years surely tickets would sell out quickly for the Singapore GP, so having the Malaysian GP makes sense, a bit like having two US Grand Prix’s.