Baku to Sepang to Singapore: F1's Body-Clock Challenge Explained
F1 drivers face three races in three time zones in three weekends, with Sepang's 3pm start sitting between Baku and Singapore's night race.
The Formula 1 paddock arriving at Sepang next week will have one extra opponent to deal with: the clock.
The Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit (2–4 October) is the middle race of a triple-header, sitting between tonight's Azerbaijan Grand Prix and the Singapore Grand Prix on 11 October. Each race runs on a very different schedule, and that creates a tricky challenge for drivers and team staff.
Three races, three rhythms
- Baku (26 September): a rare Saturday race, with lights out at 3pm local time, which is 7pm in Malaysia. It was moved from Sunday to avoid Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day.
- Sepang (4 October): an afternoon race at 3pm Malaysian time. Baku is four hours behind Malaysia, so drivers need to shift their body clocks forward.
- Singapore (11 October): Singapore shares Malaysia's time zone, but it is a night race. Teams usually stay on a late schedule there, going to bed and waking up much later than normal.
So the paddock's body clocks go from Baku time, to an early Malaysian afternoon schedule, to a very late Singapore night schedule in the space of about two weeks.
No night race at Sepang
In July, some fans on social media assumed the Sepang race would be held at night after seeing times between 8pm and 10pm in the official F1 app. Sepang International Circuit CEO Azhan Shafriman Hanif cleared it up. He said: "The race will be held in the afternoon, not at night."
That keeps the tradition of Sepang's past Malaysian Grands Prix, which were held in the afternoon. It also means drivers will face the full tropical heat and humidity.
How drivers manage it
In an article about the time-zone challenge, GPFans spoke to 2016 world champion Nico Rosberg, who drove for Mercedes. He described a routine he developed with a Harvard sleep expert. The main rules were:
- Change your body clock by no more than about one and a half hours per day.
- Wear blackout glasses in the evening, two hours before going to sleep.
- Get light exposure in the mornings.
For teams, the easiest option may be to adjust schedules gradually during the week. Sepang also has long practice sessions on Friday afternoon, which gives drivers time to settle before the key Saturday and Sunday sessions.
Who might find it hardest
- Rookies: Arvid Lindblad, who has never raced a Grand Prix at Sepang, will have to learn a new circuit while adjusting to a new time zone.
- Returning drivers: Isack Hadjar has just come back from a wrist injury and qualified fourth in Baku. The heat and humidity of Sepang will test his fitness.
- Everyone else: Sepang has not held an F1 race since 2017, so most of the current grid has little or no experience of the track in an F1 car.
What it means for Malaysian fans
For fans at the circuit, the afternoon schedule is easier to plan around. Sessions start at 12.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and the race starts at 3pm on Sunday, so there is no need for late-night travel home.
For fans watching on TV, the triple-header is ideal: Baku tonight at 7pm, Sepang next Sunday at 3pm and Singapore the following weekend, all in convenient Malaysian time slots.
Key takeaways
- Sepang is the middle race of a Baku–Sepang–Singapore triple-header.
- Baku is four hours behind Malaysia, and Singapore is a night race on a late schedule.
- The Sepang race starts at 3pm and is not a night race, as confirmed by the circuit's CEO.
- Nico Rosberg recommends shifting the body clock by no more than about 1.5 hours per day.
- All three races fall in convenient Malaysian viewing times.
FAQ
Is the Sepang F1 race at night? No. Sepang International Circuit confirmed the race will be held in the afternoon, with lights out at 3pm on Sunday 4 October.
Which races are in the triple-header? Azerbaijan (26 September), the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang (4 October) and Singapore (11 October).
Why is jet lag an issue for F1 drivers? They move between time zones and different session times in a short period, which affects sleep, reaction times and recovery.
Sources: GPFans, Malay Mail, Formula1.com, Sky Sports