IT'S RACE WEEK: 5 storylines we're excited about ahead of the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

Fresh from a thrilling finish in Baku it’s time to return to another popular venue for the first time in nearly a decade. George Russell heads to the relocated Bahrain Grand Prix in fine form, but it will be a new test for many of the drivers as we look ahead to the next round of the triple-header in Sepang.

Can Russell build momentum?

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a very impressive weekend for Russell, as he secured his third win of the season. What was notable was how comfortable he looked right from the opening lap, topping the first practice sessions, taking a dominant pole position and then leading every lap on his way to victory.

That doesn’t tell the full story either, as Russell had to withstand serious pressure from Max Verstappen in the second half of the race, but did not crack as he picked up his first Grand Prix win since Austria in late June.

With Kimi Antonelli having a tough opening two days in Azerbaijan before recovering from 16th on the grid to fifth, Russell closed the gap at the top of the Drivers’ Championship from 81 points to 66. That’s still a significant margin, and Antonelli has been remarkably consistent this year, but Russell has certainly looked more comfortable himself since the summer break.

The races come quickly at this stage of the season and – as long as he doesn’t take a power unit penalty – if Russell can carry over his form from Baku to Sepang, then he’ll have every chance of reducing Antonelli’s advantage once again.

Mercedes have an upgrade

This could well be an ominous entry for Mercedes’ rivals, given the fact the Constructors’ Championship leaders have won the past three races, but there will be new parts on the W17 this weekend.

Mercedes had suggested they would face a tough test in August and September as rivals were updating their cars, and there was a run of one win in four races prior to the latest three victories. But what was already a very competitive car is set for a further upgrade.

Three practice sessions should give Mercedes time to understand the impact of their package, and it will be up to the drivers to get their heads round any potential changes in the car characteristics. However, despite an impressive rate of improvement across the grid so far this season, the success of an update is never guaranteed.

Esteban Ocon on the market

Only a week ago we featured the driver market going through a quiet spell, but in Azerbaijan there was some movement as Esteban Ocon described himself as a free agent for 2027.

Haas Team Principal Ayao Komatsu clarified that had technically been the case since the summer – when the window opened for an option on Ocon’s contract being taken up – but the Frenchman very much gave the impression that he would not be remaining with the team next year.

Ocon pointed to his performance in Baku – where he finished eighth ahead of team mate Ollie Bearman in ninth – as proof that he deserves his place on the grid. But options for another race seat are limited at this stage, especially now that Aston Martin have confirmed an unchanged line-up, so it remains to be seen where he might land.

At the same time, if Ocon is indeed a free agent then attention will also turn to who will replace him at Haas, where both seats are currently unconfirmed. Rafael Camara did his chances no harm by taking the lead of the Formula 2 Championship in Baku with a Feature Race victory, but reserve driver Jack Doohan recently completed a test outing for Haas, as have Ryo Hirakawa and Leonardo Fornaroli.

Internal team dynamics

It was a dramatic second half of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and the first Safety Car restart saw all sorts of chaos that also involved two sets of team mates.

Misjudgements from Franco Colapinto and Arvid Lindblad saw them hit and spin their team mates Pierre Gasly and Liam Lawson respectively, taking both out of the running for points. Lando Norris was also caught up in the incident that saw Gasly and Colapinto retire, while Lawson suffered damage, but Lindblad could at least limit the losses by recovering to finish seventh.

Colapinto has a five-place grid penalty for this weekend’s race in Malaysia as a result of causing a collision, and Alpine Executive Advisor Flavio Briatore suggested there could be further internal repercussions.

“I know that Franco has taken full responsibility for it, as he should; in fact he braked far too late considering the context of the race and the Safety Car restart,” Briatore said after Baku. “It was a very poor move for a driver of his experience. I want to take time to reflect on it and consider what course of action should be taken, so we can learn from it and avoid such a situation in future.”

This weekend will likely see the fallout discussed further, but it also provides all of the drivers involved with a chance to bounce back quickly. If it impacts the dynamics between team mates – particularly if they are racing wheel-to-wheel again at any stage on Sunday – remains to be seen.

A fond return to Sepang

Following the postponement of the Bahrain Grand Prix in April, strong collaboration between the Sakhir race organisers and the Government of Malaysia led to the agreement to host this year’s edition of the race in Sepang.

The circuit was last on the calendar in 2017, having hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix on 19 occasions. During that time, it delivered plenty of exciting racing, with the long straights that start and end the lap providing overtaking opportunities, while the high-speed middle sector is also a great test of all-round car performance.

Throw in the potential for rain to impact the action and all of the ingredients are in place for an exciting return this weekend. Ten drivers have previously made a Grand Prix start at Sepang, meaning more than half of the grid will be getting their first taste of racing action at the venue.

While it is a shame not to be able to race in Bahrain – on a track that often delivers plenty of close battles – there’s every chance that Sepang can offer a similarly entertaining Grand Prix as a substitute over the coming days.