Birthday boy Max Verstappen is the most recent Sepang winner: “It’s very tough”

Credit where credit is due: Happy Birthday, Max Verstappen! The four-time world champion turns 29 today, Wednesday 30 September. We send our warmest congratulations – and look ahead to Verstappen’s first racing challenge of the new year: the Sepang International Circuit.

Verstappen was the last winner at Sepang

How fitting that our birthday boy knows the circuit inside out. Formula 1 last raced in Malaysia in 2017, where this year’s rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix is taking place. And the winner of the last F1 outing in Kuala Lumpur was – Max Verstappen. The Red Bull Racing driver, who had just turned 20 at the time (the Grand Prix took place on 1 October), won ahead of Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) and his Red Bull Racing team-mate Daniel Ricciardo.

When asked last week in Baku whether he was looking forward to returning to Sepang, Verstappen joked: “Not really, because I was quite happy to have won the last race there.” He must now defend – or is allowed to defend – his place in the history books once again.

Verstappen: A great circuit, but tough

Speaking about the circuit, however, the Dutchman said: “It’s a brilliant track. I really enjoy being there. But it’s very tough. It’ll be gruelling because of the heat, but also because of tyre wear and battery issues. It’s a lovely place, though, and I’m looking forward to returning and seeing what we can achieve.”

Will the 2026 cars have an advantage in hot races?

Kuala Lumpur lies almost on the equator; the heat is stifling and humid. Unlike in Singapore, races in Malaysia are also held during the day. So it’s a huge challenge for the drivers. However, the new cars under the 2026 regulations drive differently – how big is the difference in terms of physical exertion?

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Verstappen: “It depends. Sometimes they’re quite exhausting. You still sweat, and sometimes it’s actually harder to keep the car on the track. But generally speaking, it’s probably a bit less strenuous. And it’s probably more comfortable too, because last year you were constantly being jolted aggressively on the straights. Now, with SM mode, you just glide along a bit. It’s simply different. It’s still Formula 1, of course – you’re trying to push everything to the limit – but it’s different.”