The latest twist in F1 race names appears when the Malaysian track is announced as the Bahrain Grand Prix, a decision that challenges both geography and tradition.
Malaysia–Bahrain paradox
Sepang International Circuit, the first of Hermann Tilke’s Asian modern tracks and a long‑standing jewel of the calendar, is now scheduled to host the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Despite Malaysia ending its 2017 contract with FOM, the venue remains a fan favourite, with calls for a return echoing the debate over the expanding list of city‑streets in F1.
Bahrain has lost the right to host a race within its own borders because of the ongoing US/Israel–Iran conflict, yet its naming rights have persisted.
San Marino GP: Imola’s dual identity
Imola first hosted an event in 1981 named after the tiny, landlocked San Marino, even though the track lies in Italy.
When Monza was closed in 1980, the Italian Grand Prix moved to Imola; upon Monza’s reopening, the Imola event was rebranded to avoid duplication.
The circuit has raced under three titles—Italian Grand Prix, San Marino Grand Prix, and Emilia Romagna Grand Prix—highlighting the flexibility of F1 naming.
Luxembourg GP: German tracks on a different label
In the mid‑1990s, two F1 rounds carried the Luxembourg name, even though both were held at the Nürburgring roughly 80 km from Luxembourg’s border.
Germany hosted the German Grand Prix at Hockenheim and the European Grand Prix at the Nürburgring; the latter later adopted the Luxembourg title for two seasons before reverting to European.
Swiss GP: French circuits under Swiss name
The Swiss Grand Prix title has lived outside Swiss soil twice: a non‑championship race at France’s Dijon in 1975 and a points‑earner in 1982.
Swiss racing was barred after the 1955 Le Mans disaster but recently lifted its ban; until then, Zurich’s Formula E events were the only continental races under Swiss jurisdiction.
Baku’s European GP: the naming oddity
Formula 1 introduced the European Grand Prix in Baku in 2016, though Baku is geographically in Asia and part of Azerbaijan.
The event quickly acquired the Azerbaijan GP name the following year, aligning its title with the country of location.
These examples demonstrate that F1 often prioritises commercial and logistical considerations over strict national alignment when assigning event names.
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