[Saba Sports News] According to US media reports, ongoing tensions across the Middle East are forcing sweeping revisions to the Formula 1 calendar. Yet a venue that once thrilled motorsport fans could make a comeback: Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. Reports indicate Sepang has been shortlisted as an alternative. It could secure a return slot should the Bahrain Grand Prix fail to be rescheduled. Both the Bahrain Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, originally slated for April, were removed from the calendar amid conflicts in the Middle East, creating a one-month gap on the race schedule. The Jeddah Corniche Circuit in Saudi Arabia has been confirmed cancelled for the entire season. Bahrain’s organisers previously hoped to rearrange their event for the weekend of October 4. However, renewed regional tensions have cast uncertainty over that rescheduling plan. It also clouds the outlook for the late-season Middle Eastern rounds — the Qatar Grand Prix and the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Sepang boasts clear logistical merits. The weekend of October 4 directly precedes the Singapore Grand Prix. The two venues are geographically close, enabling near-seamless transfer of personnel and equipment. Emotionally, Sepang holds a cherished place in F1 folklore. It featured as a permanent fixture on the calendar from 1999 to 2017. Renowned for high temperatures, stifling humidity and physically draining track conditions, it was a driver’s nightmare and a classic beloved by fans. If it returns, it will require little build-up to ignite spectator excitement.
This weekend, the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) will convene to discuss the race arrangements in the Middle East, when a clearer indication is expected to emerge regarding whether Sepang International Circuit will make its true “homecoming” to the Formula 1 calendar.