Wildfire smoke and extreme weather in Malaysia for Bahrain GP weekend

The rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix, set to take place this weekend in Malaysia, promises to be an unpredictable affair due to the elements. The return of Formula 1 to Sepang after a nine-year hiatus came about in extraordinary circumstances. The Bahrain and Saudi Arabia F1 races were initially cancelled due to the Iran war. However, the Bahrain race was later reinstated and will now be held in Malaysia.

Teams participating in the event are bracing for significant challenges over the upcoming days. Southeast Asia is currently grappling with the aftermath of wildfires that have ravaged Indonesia. As a result, the region is experiencing extreme air pollution, affecting neighboring islands and cities such as Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Air quality in many parts of Malaysia and Indonesia is fluctuating between unhealthy and very unhealthy.

Indonesia's forestry ministry reported 15,461 hotspots in September, indicating a surge in wildfires. This is a stark contrast to the levels seen in 2019 and places the current situation second only to 2015. The haze has made it difficult to make out Kuala Lumpur's skyline, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) in the city reaching 185 as of 3 pm, placing it in the unhealthy range.

In Singapore, a half-marathon was shortened from 21.1km to 10km due to poor air quality, and the city is set to host its F1 race next weekend following Sepang.

Kuala Lumpur, scheduled to host the Standard Chartered marathon this weekend, is also keeping a close eye on the air quality and preparing contingency plans. The Sepang F1 circuit, located around 45km south of Kuala Lumpur, faces yet another challenge with the forecast predicting rain and thunderstorms during the F1 weekend. Although rain is expected to hit all three days of the event, it could potentially alleviate the impact of wildfires and smoke, albeit with the added challenge of a wet track and higher-than-usual temperatures.