Updated Bahrain GP in Malaysia weather forecast: Rain to disrupt the race?

Round 16 of the 2026 F1 campaign sees the sport descend upon the Sepang International CIrcuit, which is host of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Max Verstappen will lead the field away from pole position ahead of his former foe Lewis Hamilton as the duo aim to add to their sole victory each around the track.

Friday and Saturday delivered dry running at the Sepang International Circuit, though drivers had to contend with searing heat and high humidity throughout practice and qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

The forecast has proven notoriously unreliable around the Malaysian venue. 

Ahead of second practice on Friday, there was a 90 per cent chance of rain in the forecast, yet only a handful of light drops ever fell.

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Rain on the horizon

However, the chance of rainfall during the race has increased from what was forecast on Saturday.

Experts are pointing to the closing stages of the grand prix as the most likely window.

However, already while the drivers were rounding the track on the drivers' parade, some noted that it was starting to spit rain.

Nevertheless, temperatures are expected to hit around 33 degrees Celsius, and the high humidity also raises the possibility of thunderstorms.

Should the rain arrive, it would present a significant challenge: no driver on the current grid has ever raced in wet conditions with the current generation of car.