Formula One returns to Sepang this weekend for the first time since 2017 with Malaysia chosen to host the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix.
The race was originally meant to be in April but could not go ahead due to the conflict in the Middle East. As a result, F1 reached an agreement with Bahrain and Malaysia to preserve the race by moving it to Sepang.
The 5.543km circuit has two long straights but also plenty of quick flowing corners. Heat and tyre wear are likely to play an important role.
Our power rankings measure who will arrive in Malaysia in the best shape. We take into account recent form, raw speed, how much each driver extracts from their car, momentum and how well their strengths might suit Sepang.
Here are our top 10 rankings and predictions for the Sepang race.
10. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
Form: Madrid DNF; Baku P10. Championship: P17
Sainz finally had a more capable car in Baku. Williams arrived with its biggest upgrade of the season and he managed to reach Q3 for the first time this year, qualifying in P9 before dropping to 14th on account of a grid place penalty.
He recovered to 10th in the race and scored his first point in 10 GPs. The Spaniard was happy with the progress despite admitting Williams still need more before they can fight for points on a regular basis. Sepang should determine the strength of the upgrade, giving us an indication of whether Williams can have a better end to the season.
9. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
Form: Madrid P8; Baku P13. Championship: P7
Piastri showed encouraging speed in Azerbaijan, qualifying third and running second early on before another mistake proved costly. A lock-up at Turn 1 dropped him out of contention and continued a difficult run of results.
He clearly has the pace but his challenge now is putting a full weekend together. Sepang should be a better suited circuit for the car than Baku where straight-line speed was a major weakness.
8. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
Form: Madrid P12; Baku DNF. Championship: P10
Gasly was extremely unlucky last time out. He qualified P7 in Azerbaijan and was heading towards another points finish when Franco Colapinto’s mistake at the restart ended his race, a mistake the Argentine has apologised for.
The driver’s pole at Monza remains memorable and while Alpine are unpredictable, Gasly continues to produce performances that exceed expectations considering the car’s weaknesses.
7. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
Form: Madrid DNF; Baku P6. Championship: P3
Hamilton had a fairly subdued weekend in Baku, qualifying and finishing in P6 and appeared to question the team’s strategy when the safety car was deployed.
His biggest concern is Ferrari’s insufficient straight-line power which is likely to make them suffer in Sepang’s long straights. However, he knows this circuit better than most as he won here in 2014 and boasts a record five poles at Sepang – alongside Michael Schumacher – and the record for fastest lap on this circuit, achieved during qualifying in 2017.
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
Form: Madrid P4; Baku P4. Championship: P5
Leclerc is currently on a better run of form than his teammate and delivered consecutive fourth place finishes.
He put the car on the front row in Baku but George Russell was more than eight tenths quicker and Ferrari could not match Mercedes or Red Bull over the race distance. Leclerc believes Sepang will prove to be a better circuit for the Ferrari but he also does not believe they can narrow the gap to the top by much.
5. Isack Hadjar (Red Bull)
Form: Madrid did not race; Baku P3. Championship: P8
Hadjar has been absent from racing on account of his fractured wrist but he deserves a high ranking as before the injury, he had already established himself as a regular top six contender.
His comeback was impressive. He qualified in P4 in Baku, ahead of teammate Max Verstappen and was faster at various points in the race as the Dutchman struggled on the medium tyres. But he played the team game and held his position as Verstappen hunted down Russell. Hadjar finished third and a place on the podium.
He expects to be less competitive in Sepang and the driver has taken a five place grid penalty for exceeding the allocation of power-unit components.
4. Lando Norris (McLaren)
Form: Madrid P3; Baku DNF. Championship: P4
Baku interrupted a brilliant run from Norris. He secured back-to-back wins in Hungary and the Netherlands and took fourth at Monza before finishing third in Madrid. His race ended in Baku when he was caught in the collision involving the Alpines and has apologised for his outburst after the race where he suggested Colapinto should not be in F1.
Battery deployment is his major concern heading to Sepang. “The only thing that’s not exciting is because you have no battery. The two high-speed corners that should be high-speed, you run out of battery,” Norris explained. Nonetheless, he’s expected to be extremely competitive especially with his handling of abrasive asphalt.
3. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
Form: Madrid P1; Baku P5. Championship: P1
Alas, Kimi is a mere mortal as he struggled in Baku. Crashing in qualifying left him in 16th yet he still managed to recover to fifth and still leads Russell by 66 points after eight victories this season
Mercedes have arrived in Sepang with their first major upgrade since Canada. With the strongest car on the grid, Antonelli remains one of the favourites to top the podium, especially as both he and the team imagine the upgrade is worth a 0.3 gain per lap.
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
Form: Madrid P2; Baku P2. Championship: P6
The Dutch driver is inching forward in his quest to win his first race of the season. An engine problem compromised qualifying in Baku and left him in P8 but in true Verstappen fashion, he charged to second and finished just 0.196 seconds behind Russell. It was his third consecutive podium finish and sixth in eight races.
Red Bull’s upgrade package was their final major one of the year and Sepang should help us determine whether the team can provide a serious challenge for the remainder of the season. It’s worth noting that the Dutchman won the last F1 race held on this track in 2017.
Russell wins Azerbaijan GP – in pictures
-
George Russell celebrates on the podium after winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit on September 26, 2026. Getty Images -
Mercedes driver and race winner George Russell, second right, alongside second-placed Max Verstappen, left, and his Red Bull teammate Isack Hadjar, right, who was third. Getty Images -
British driver George Russell celebrates with his Mercedes team after winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. AFP -
Mercedes driver George Russell crosses the finish line just ahead of Max Verstappen's Red Bull. EPA -
Mercedes' George Russell takes the chequered flag ahead of Dutch driver Max Verstappen of Red Bull, AFP -
Mercedes' George Russell during the race in Baku. Reuters -
Red Bull's Max Verstappen on the streets of Baku. Getty Images -
Fans watching the action on the Baku City Circuit. EPA -
Mercedes driver George Russell leads at the front following the start in Baku. EPA
1. George Russell (Mercedes)
Form: Madrid P5; Baku P1. Championship: P2
Finally Russell is back to winning and confidence is riding high for the Briton. He took pole in qualifying and led throughout the race, surviving two safety cars before holding off Verstappen by less than two tenths. “When I saw Max behind, I thought, ‘It’s not going to be easy’,” noted Russell and yet he held on, completing his first Grand Slam of his career and cut teammate Antonelli’s championship lead.
His form was impressive and considering Mercedes’ upgrade package for Sepang, Russell should feel confident on making his mark again. This is his time to prove he can be a serious challenger and not a driver to be underestimated.
Bahrain GP podium prediction:
1. Kimi Antonelli: He’s still the championship leader and will now be armed with a new upgrade package. “I'll make sure I re-establish the order; just make sure that I will be back at my usual level because I was driving more like my grandma [in Baku], so it wasn't the usual Kimi,” he said. Expect chaos.
2. George Russell: Riding high and with the momentum to keep pushing, Russell isn’t driving with the same pressure as his teammate. He has the strongest car, can he be the strongest driver?
3. Max Verstappen: Lando Norris is great on abrasive asphalt but one can't overlook Red Bull, especially considering the team’s form in Baku after the upgrade package. His experience on the circuit coupled with his recent performances suggests the Dutchman is ready to push his opponents all the way.
