The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix took place in Malaysia. Yes, you heard that right. It sounds like a calendar error, but Formula 1 and the FIA announced in July of that year that the Sepang International Circuit would host the race on 2–4 October. The event was finally listed as the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Normally, a Grand Prix name usually tells fans where to find the circuit. F1 history, though, includes several races named for one country and held in another. The San Marino Grand Prix ran at Imola in Italy for more than two decades. France hosted a Swiss Grand Prix, and Germany hosted two Luxembourg Grand Prix.
The reasons differ. Some names helped distinguish races when a country already had a Grand Prix; others allowed an established race title to survive a change of venue. The location still matters when reading the record books: a driver who won the Luxembourg Grand Prix at the Nürburgring won a race in Germany.
What to know
- The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix is took place in Sepang, Malaysia, on 2–4 October.
- The San Marino Grand Prix was held at Imola, Italy, from 1981 to 2006, following Imola’s appearance as the Italian Grand Prix venue in 1980.
- The 1982 Swiss Grand Prix took place at Dijon-Prenois, France, where Keke Rosberg won for Williams.
- The Luxembourg Grand Prix ran at Germany’s Nürburgring in 1997 and 1998. Jacques Villeneuve and Mika Häkkinen won those races respectively.
| Grand Prix name | Where the races were held | Seasons covered here | Winner or winners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bahrain Grand Prix | Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia | 2026 | Race yet to take place |
| Luxembourg Grand Prix | Nürburgring, Germany | 1997–1998 | Jacques Villeneuve; Mika Häkkinen |
| Swiss Grand Prix | Dijon-Prenois, France | 1982 | Keke Rosberg |
| San Marino Grand Prix | Imola, Italy | 1981–2006 | 27 races; final winner Michael Schumacher |
Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia — 2026
Bahrain and Malaysia are far apart, so the 2026 arrangement is the most striking example on this list. Following the loss of its planned April date, the Bahrain Grand Prix ran at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit on 2–4 October 2026. The official title made both parts explicit: Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
F1 said the arrangement between Bahrain, Malaysia, the FIA and Formula 1 preserved a Grand Prix that otherwise would not have happened. And Sepang itself is familiar to long-time F1 fans. The Malaysian circuit previously hosted Formula 1, so this was a return to a known track under an unfamiliar Grand Prix title.
Luxembourg Grand Prix at the Nürburgring — 1997 and 1998
In the late 1990s, the Luxembourg Grand Prix gave Germany’s Nürburgring a title that certainly didn’t match the country beneath the cars. Both championship races bearing that name took place at the Nürburgring: one on 28 September 1997, the other on 27 September 1998. Neither was held in Luxembourg.
The 1997 race went to Jacques Villeneuve in a Williams-Renault. He finished 11.770 seconds ahead of Jean Alesi, with Williams team-mate Heinz-Harald Frentzen third. The result was part of Villeneuve’s successful championship season.
A year later, Mika Häkkinen won the second Luxembourg Grand Prix for McLaren-Mercedes. Michael Schumacher finished just 2.212 seconds behind him, making the 1998 edition a much closer finish than the previous year’s race.
The two seasons make a useful pair for fans exploring old results. “Luxembourg Grand Prix winner” is the correct race-record description for Villeneuve or Häkkinen. “Won in Luxembourg” would give the wrong location. A Grand Prix title and its physical venue that answer different questions.
Swiss Grand Prix at Dijon-Prenois — 1982
The 1982 Swiss Grand Prix was held at Circuit Dijon-Prenois in France. Keke Rosberg was the winner on 29 August; its individual race record gives Dijon-Prenois, France, as the venue, and that’s an especially easy result to misread because France also had its own Grand Prix earlier in the same season. René Arnoux won the French Grand Prix at Paul Ricard on 25 July. Rosberg’s Dijon victory the following month belonged to the Swiss Grand Prix record, despite also taking place on French soil.
The distinction also matters to Rosberg’s story. His Dijon win came in the season in which he became world champion. More incredible is that it was also his only win of 1982.
San Marino Grand Prix at Imola — 1981 to 2006
Imola provides the longest-running example. The circuit is in Italy, yet it hosted the San Marino Grand Prix from 1981 through 2006. It was not a newly discovered venue when that name appeared: Imola had staged the Italian Grand Prix in 1980. From 1981, the San Marino title allowed Imola’s race to sit on the calendar alongside the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. F1 went on to hold 27 San Marino Grands Prix at Imola.
The first race under the San Marino name was won by Nelson Piquet in 1981. The last, in 2006, was won by Michael Schumacher for Ferrari. Between those results sits a great deal of F1 history, including the tragic 1994 weekend in which Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna died. The name is inseparable from the circuit’s history, even though the circuit is across the border from the country named in the title.
Imola has also staged the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix title.
What about the European Grand Prix in Baku & Beyond?
Baku offers a related naming curiosity, though it does not belong in the table of races named after a different country. Azerbaijan’s capital hosted its first F1 race in 2016 as the European Grand Prix, won by Nico Rosberg. The event became the Azerbaijan Grand Prix the following year. “Europe” is a regional title rather than another country.
A race of many homes, the European Grand Prix was held at venues including Donington Park, Circuito Permanente de Jerez, Nurburgring, Valencia Street Circuit and Baku, making it one of the most geographically flexible events in F1 history.
For modern fans, the practical rule is simple: look up both the Grand Prix title and the circuit before placing a historic race on the map. Imola’s San Marino years and the Nürburgring’s Luxembourg races show how a familiar venue can sit behind a surprising name. Bahrain in Malaysia adds a fresh chapter to that history.
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