Bahrain GP heads to Malaysia: The other times F1 did something similar

The Bahrain Grand Prix will remain on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, but the race will instead be held at the Sepang International Circuit. While it may seem unusual, it is far from the first time in Formula 1 history that one country has hosted a Grand Prix carrying the name of another.

Formula 1 recently confirmed that the Bahrain Grand Prix will go ahead despite the changes to the calendar. The event has been rescheduled for early October and will form part of a triple-header with the Azerbaijan and Singapore Grands Prix. However, instead of being held at the Bahrain International Circuit, the race will take place at Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit while retaining the Bahrain Grand Prix name. History, however, offers several similar examples, although some are not entirely comparable.

San Marino GP - Italy

Perhaps the best-known example is the San Marino Grand Prix. Despite its name, the race was never held in San Marino itself, but at Imola in Italy from 1981 to 2006. Since Formula 1 already had the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, the second Italian event adopted the name of the neighbouring microstate.

Imola returned to the Formula 1 calendar after the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, once again becoming Italy's second race alongside Monza. From 2020 until last season, however, the event was run as the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix rather than reviving the San Marino Grand Prix name.

Formula 1 in Imola - Photo: RacePictures

Formula 1 in Imola - Photo: RacePictures

Luxembourg GP - Germany

Another notable example is the Luxembourg Grand Prix, which was held at Germany's Nürburgring in 1997 and 1998. With the German Grand Prix already taking place at Hockenheim, Formula 1 gave the Nurburgring event the Luxembourg Grand Prix name to allow the country to host a second race. Jacques Villeneuve won the inaugural edition in 1997, while Mika Hakkinen claimed victory a year later.

Swiss GP - France

The Swiss Grand Prix of 1982 is one of the most remarkable examples in Formula 1 history of a race being held outside the country whose name it carried. Although it was officially listed as the Swiss round of the World Championship, the event took place entirely at the Dijon-Prenois circuit in France.

The unusual situation stemmed from Switzerland's ban on circuit racing, introduced in the wake of the 1955 Le Mans disaster. With permanent circuit events no longer permitted inside the country, Formula 1 was unable to return to Swiss territory for decades. When the organisers decided to revive the Swiss Grand Prix in 1982, they had no choice but to find a venue abroad. Dijon-Prenois, located in eastern France not far from the Swiss border, was selected to host the race, allowing the event to retain the Swiss Grand Prix name despite being run entirely on French soil.

European GP - Azerbaijan

Although not directly comparable to the previous three examples, another interesting case came in 2016, when Formula 1 made its debut on the streets of Baku. Despite the race taking place in Azerbaijan, the event was officially known as the European Grand Prix rather than the Azerbaijan Grand Prix .

The choice reflected the country's desire to strengthen its association with Europe as it continued to host major international events. As a result, Formula 1 brought back the European Grand Prix name for Baku's first appearance on the calendar. The arrangement lasted for just one season, with the race being renamed the Azerbaijan Grand Prix from 2017 onwards, the title it continues to carry today.

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