Kuala lumpur: Malaysia could make a surprise return to the Formula One calendar this year if the ongoing conflict in Iran leads to further disruptions, as reported by specialist website the-race.com.

According to Nam News Network, Formula One had already postponed the April races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia due to the ongoing war, initially reducing the calendar from 24 to 22 grands prix, as reported by the German news agency dpa. Concerns are mounting over the ability to hold the final two races of the year, scheduled for November 29 in Qatar and December 6 in Abu Dhabi, due to the conflict in West Asia. Formula One executives are exploring alternative options should the situation worsen.

Prior to the escalation of the Iran conflict, there was hope that the Bahrain Grand Prix could be rescheduled for the first weekend in October, between the Azerbaijan and Singapore races. However, this seems increasingly unlikely as tensions between the US and Iran continue to rise. Malaysia and Turkey have emerged as potential candidates to host the race on October 4.

An early decision on the proposed October race is anticipated, with the championship entering its mid-season break following the Hungarian Grand Prix in Budapest this weekend, and racing set to resume at the end of August. Malaysia's Sepang International Circuit, which hosted the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017, was removed from the calendar due to high hosting costs and sanctioning fees.

Meanwhile, Portugal's Portimo circuit remains a contingency venue for the season finale if the December 6 race in Abu Dhabi cannot proceed. The Algarve circuit previously hosted Formula One races in 2020 and 2021 as a replacement venue during the COVID-19 pandemic and is slated to return in 2027 and 2028.