*You can revisit Formula 1’s last Malaysian Grand Prix through a race full of decisive moments. Sepang hosts the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, nine years after F1 last raced there. The 2017 farewell still links familiar champions with drivers whose careers had just begun.*
Ten current Formula 1 drivers were on Sepang’s 2017 grid. Charles Leclerc took part in Friday practice, while Pierre Gasly made his Grand Prix debut. Together, their stories frame a remarkable final chapter in the circuit’s history. Explore circuits fans hope to see return.
## Sepang’s return recalls the 2017 farewell
The Sepang International Circuit hosts this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Formula 1 returns to the venue for the first time since 2017. That Malaysian Grand Prix marked the end of a contract that began in 1999. Its return reconnects fans with a defining Sepang weekend from the sport’s recent past.
The 2017 race closed Sepang’s place on the Formula 1 calendar. The venue had hosted the championship since its Malaysian debut in 1999. Nine years later, the return brings a fresh chapter to the circuit. Read about Formula 1’s past circuit changes for more historical context.
## Verstappen won Sepang’s final F1 race
Max Verstappen took a dominant victory for Red Bull in 2017. Lewis Hamilton finished second and extended his championship lead. Daniel Ricciardo also finished ahead of Hamilton’s title rival, Sebastian Vettel. The result gave the farewell race real weight in that season’s title contest.
Vettel’s drive stood out after he started from the back of the field. He climbed to fourth, a sharp recovery at a demanding circuit. A collision with Lance Stroll on the cooldown lap then capped his day. Read more on Vettel’s turbulent F1 career for further context.
## Hamilton and Vettel shaped the title story
Hamilton’s second place helped extend his championship advantage over Vettel. That result made Sepang’s race more than a final appearance on the calendar. It added a meaningful step in the title fight between two champions. Hamilton’s career-defining win in another F1 milestone offers another view of his record.
Vettel’s recovery also gave the weekend a striking individual storyline. He moved from last to fourth before the post-race collision altered the mood. The incident involved Stroll on the cooldown lap, after the chequered flag. For more on Vettel’s career, his Sepang drive shows both pace and drama.
## Familiar names returned to Sepang’s grid
Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen were among the established names on the 2017 grid. Their presence placed familiar F1 rivals in the final Malaysian Grand Prix field. The supplied race details do not assign either driver a specific result. Their place in the field adds another link to F1 history at Sepang.
Ten drivers from that grid are also on the current Formula 1 grid, according to the supplied details. The statistic connects the 2017 field with the sport’s present era. New regulations, power units, and teams have since changed the championship. Max Verstappen’s ambitious hopes for 2026 cars point toward that ongoing shift.
## Leclerc and Gasly began new F1 chapters
Leclerc appeared at Sepang in Friday practice, rather than the Grand Prix itself. He drove Marcus Ericsson’s Sauber and set the session’s 16th-fastest time. He also finished ahead of regular driver Pascal Wehrlein in that session. That outing marked an early step toward F1 for the Monégasque driver.
Gasly made his Formula 1 debut at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix. Toro Rosso brought him in to replace Daniil Kvyat for that event. Gasly qualified 15th and finished 14th on his first start. His debut began a career that now spans nearly a decade; read how Gasly rose through the sport.
