Why Malaysia is hosting F1's relocated Bahrain Grand Prix, with rain and haze likely

The ‘Bahrain Grand Prix In Malaysia’ is one of the stranger names for a race in Formula 1 history.

The Iran war, forest fires and thunderstorms are all talking points this week as F1 gears up for a Bahrain GP held 3,750 miles (6,000 kilometers) away from its nominal host nation.

The last time F1 raced at the Sepang circuit in 2017, 12 of the 22 drivers on this year's grid had yet to make their F1 debuts. Current standings leader Kimi Antonelli had just turned 11.

F1 was originally meant to race in Bahrain back in March but that race and the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix were called off as Iran struck both countries in its response to U.S. and Israeli airstrikes.

Losing two races in lucrative Middle East markets was a financial hit to F1 and its teams, and adding a replacement event in Malaysia was meant to offset that impact. Keeping the Bahrain GP name followed extensive talks involving the governments of both countries.

Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, said the decision to move the race was a sign of his country’s “commitment to, and passion for (F1)."

Bahrain was already making its mark on the event Wednesday with Bahraini food and brands on offer, and 561 marshals and other race officials making the journey from Bahrain to Malaysia. As usual at the Bahrain GP, the top three drivers will celebrate on the podium with bottles of fragrant, non-alcoholic rosewater, not Champagne.

The race slots in between the Azerbaijan GP and next week's race in nearby Singapore.

Bahrain is reviving an old F1 tradition by joining Switzerland, San Marino and Luxembourg as countries which were the official hosts of F1 races actually taking place elsewhere.

In those earlier cases from the 1980s and 1990s, F1 wanted a country like France, Italy or Germany to get a second race but had to work around a rule limiting each country to one event.

With security concerns persisting ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix in November and the season finale in Abu Dhabi in December, F1 has considered a fallback option in Europe, with Italy’s Imola circuit as the favorite. F1 could potentially keep the branding of a Middle East race for that, too.

When it rains at Sepang it pours.

During the Malaysian Grand Prix's previous run from 1999-2017, the track became notorious for sudden downpours which made for thrilling races and some unexpected results.

Rain and even thunderstorms are possible this weekend, setting up what would be the first wet race since a major regulation change for 2026. The closest F1 has come to it since then was the Dutch Grand Prix where rain arrived just as drivers finished the sprint race.

Even if it stays dry, visibility may not be great for drivers and fans because air pollution has been making for a hazy view. F1 says it's monitoring the issue and isn't concerned.

“There is absolutely no risk to the event and the conditions where the event is taking place are not at any level of concern,” F1 said on Wednesday.

Malaysia’s haze crisis is being driven largely by forest and peat fires in neighboring Indonesia, made worse by the dry weather.

Authorities are monitoring air quality and hotspots, with the government conducting cloud seeding when conditions permit to alleviate the situation. High pollution levels can cause breathing problems, and eye or throat irritation especially for vulnerable people.

See AP’s full auto racing coverage here

FILE -McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain steers his car through the rain during the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix at Sepang, Malaysia, March 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Mark Baker, File)

A worker sets up trackside signage during preparations for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Workers set up trackside signage during preparations for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Heavy equipment is driven along the main straight during preparations for the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Workers use a scissor lift to install a banner over the track ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)

Concerns about a possible airplane hijacking briefly gripped Israel, while the Lebanese army said the latest Israeli strike in southern Lebanon wounded a soldier and three civilians.

Meanwhile, in Iran, authorities executed two people accused of violence against security forces during the country's January protests. And the last U.S. forces left Iraq, under a Washington-Baghdad deal from two years ago.

Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Wednesday. Full coverage is available here.

A fight erupted between the pilot and co-pilot on a commercial FlyDubai plane traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, reports said.

The episode briefly raised concerns about a possible hijacking of a plane carrying dozens of Israelis and prompted Israel to scramble warplanes.

FlyDubai, the airline operating the flight, confirmed that an incident forced the plane to be diverted and to land at the Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in the Saudi city of Tabuk.

All the passengers were safe but there was suspicion there may have been an attempt to attack Israelis on the plane and an investigation was ongoing, an Israeli official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the incident was under investigation.

— By Samy Magdy in Cairo and Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel

The Lebanese army said a soldier was seriously wounded in an explosion in the village of Nabatiyeh al-Fawqa on Wednesday. Three civilians were also wounded, it said.

Initially, the army said the soldier’s vehicle had been targeted by an Israeli strike but later it said the explosion was caused by a “suspicious object.” The army was escorting residents of the area in southern Lebanon to visit their houses, it said.

The Lebanese and Israeli governments in June reached an agreement under which the Israeli military was to withdraw gradually from southern Lebanon and allow the Lebanese army to take control, in exchange for disarming the militant Hezbollah group. However, implementation of the deal has stalled.

Iran executed two men on Wednesday over what it said was their role in violence during nationwide anti-government protests in January, state media reported.

IRNA, citing the judiciary, said the men took part in unrest in the northeastern city of Mashhad that left four security officers dead. The judiciary said the men confessed to violence, including setting fires and damaging public property. It also said one had confessed to stabbing a member of Iran's paramilitary force. Iran’s Supreme Court upheld the sentences before they were carried out Wednesday morning.

The unrest began Dec. 28 amid anger over Iran’s collapsing currency and worsening economy and quickly spread across the country, with demonstrators increasingly calling for the overthrow of the ruling clerical system. Iranian authorities responded with a deadly crackdown.

Dozens of Iranians have since been executed in connection with the protests, according to state media in Iran.

Executions are not uncommon in Iran and are often reserved for political prisoners. Rights groups say the accused are usually tried in secretive courts based on forced confessions extracted through torture.

The U.S. military announced on Wednesday that it had completed the withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, ending a 12-year mission to fight the Islamic State group.

Baghdad touted the move as a sign of the country’s growing strength and sovereignty. It was also celebrated by Iran-backed groups but raised concerns among some other Iraqis, particularly in the Kurdish region.

Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell, in a statement, called it an “orderly departure” and said that the withdrawal “marks a transition from a wartime coalition mission to an Iraqi-led security effort supported by a more normal bilateral security relationship.”

This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.

Passengers wait in line to check in their luggage with FlyDubai at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

Mourners carry the remains of Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes during the war with Hamas after they were recovered from the rubble, during their funeral in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

FILE - Israeli tourists leave a FlyDubai plane which departed from Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv and landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 8, 2020.(AP Photo/Malak Harb, File)