Sepang in Malaysia will host a Formula 1 race in October 2026, teams were told the news on Tuesday.

The event replaces the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix from earlier this year after unrest in the Gulf state forced the cancellation.

Sepang has not staged an F1 race since 2017, and reviving the event comes with a fair few headaches.

Organisers are bracing for questions over whether the circuit can be prepared on schedule after years of a tired facility.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Sepang has been dragging its heels over major international events, and that has put pressure on organisers.

If problems pop up before race weekend, organisers can scrap the event altogether, and Imola in Italy is kept ready as a backup if needed.

The October date is seen as a reopening for Southeast Asian motorsport, though the last few months of prep remains conditional on funding and work going to plan.

Tickets and detailed schedules have not yet been released, and a proper timetable are expected in the lead-up to October.

Fans across the region will be keeping a close eye as the countdown to race day unfolds.