"Chaotic", "a terrible mistake", "the nicest track": F1 drivers split on Sepang's return

Sepang's Formula 1 return has been mostly celebrated. Inside the paddock, though, opinions on the circuit are mixed. Ahead of this weekend's Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, drivers praised the track's flow, worried about 2026-spec power units on its fast corners, and in one case revived a nine-year-old complaint about the final turn.

Norris: expect chaos, but less character

Reigning world champion Lando Norris thinks the racing will be unpredictable. "I think [Sepang] will be pretty chaotic in terms of racing because of the straights and corners set-up that you have there," the McLaren driver said, according to The Race. He compared it to Monza, saying fans will see "a similar vibe".

He was less enthusiastic about how the 2026 cars will handle two of Sepang's best corner sequences, Turns 5-6 and Turns 12-13. Under the new rules the cars rely heavily on electrical energy, and Norris expects drivers to run out of battery there. "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 and are easy flat," he said, adding that this "takes away a little bit of the character".

Cadillac's Sergio Perez, who has raced at Sepang before, avoided the subject. Asked how the new cars might change the circuit's toughest corners, he replied: "We'd better not talk about it."

Sainz revives the last-corner debate

Carlos Sainz used his media time to criticise a change made years ago. Sepang was resurfaced in 2016, and the final corner was reprofiled with an off-camber layout. Sainz has never liked it.

"I don't understand why they did this change to the last corner," the Williams driver said. "I think it's a terrible mistake because if anything that corner should be banked." He called the off-camber design "a bit of a shame".

The last corner leads onto the long start-finish straight, so a good exit is vital for an attack into Turn 1. It will be one of the key overtaking zones this weekend.

Praise from Alonso and Bortoleto

Fernando Alonso, who has won at Sepang three times, was much more positive. He called it "probably the nicest track" on the current calendar, and told Formula1.com that coming back was "a golden ticket".

Audi's Gabriel Bortoleto, one of the debutants, approved after his first look. "It's a pretty cool track. Lots of fast high speeds… It's kind of sick," he said. His team-mate Nico Hulkenberg was less excited: "It's OK… the track itself is not the most exciting."

The unknowns everyone agrees on

The drivers mostly agreed on what makes the weekend hard to predict. The asphalt has had new levelling work, Pirelli has brought its C2, C3 and C4 compounds, and The Race reported that the softest tyre may last only one fast qualifying lap. Four DRS-style overtaking zones are planned, and the weather around Sepang can change quickly.

Lewis Hamilton, who won here in 2014, was more nostalgic. "I always loved going to KL," he told Sky Sports. "The track is awesome. It is a circuit that does give good racing."

Fans will get their first look at the cars in action when practice starts on Friday, 2 October.

Key takeaways

• Norris expects "pretty chaotic" racing but says battery limits will make Sepang's fast corners "easy flat".
• Sainz called the off-camber final corner, introduced in the 2016 resurfacing, "a terrible mistake".
• Alonso called Sepang "probably the nicest track", while Hulkenberg was unconvinced.
• Tyre wear, new track levelling and the weather are the main unknowns.

FAQ

What is wrong with Sepang's last corner, according to Sainz? It was reprofiled as an off-camber corner during the 2016 resurfacing. Sainz believes it should have been banked instead.

Which tyres has Pirelli brought to Sepang? Pirelli has brought the C2, C3 and C4 compounds for the weekend.

When does on-track action start? Free practice begins on Friday, 2 October, with the race on Sunday, 4 October at 3pm Malaysian time.

Sources: The Race, Sky Sports, Formula1.com