Sepang 2026 · Guide
How to See the Drivers at Sepang: Fan Forum Times and Autograph Strategy
By Will Tygart · September 28, 2026
Let's set expectations first: seeing an F1 driver up close is a lottery, and Sepang is a big venue. But it's a winnable lottery if you know where the drivers actually appear — and when. The confirmed appearance schedule for the 2026 race weekend is below, verified in the week before the race. Times can shift, so check the circuit's official channels each morning, but this is your battle plan.
Friday, October 2 — Fan Forum
The Fan Forum is the Fan Zone stage's driver Q&A — the most reliable place to see drivers off-track. (Stage location: the Fan Zone stage, in or near the Mall area between the North and South grandstands. The exact 2026 stage placement was still TBC at publication.)
10:00 — Audi: Gabriel Bortoleto & Nico Hülkenberg
10:50 — McLaren (Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri) & Cadillac (Sergio Pérez, Valtteri Bottas)
11:00 — Aston Martin (Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso) & Williams (Carlos Sainz, Alex Albon)
14:25 — Red Bull: team principal Laurent Mekies
14:55 — Ferrari: team principal Diego Loverno
15:15 — Mercedes: team principal Toto Wolff
Note the tight stack: the 10:50 and 11:00 slots are ten minutes apart, so commit to one. The morning sessions overlap with on-track practice — that's the trade. If you're a one-team fan, skip practice and claim your spot early; if you're here for the racing, catch the afternoon team-principal sessions instead.
Saturday, October 3 — Fan Forum
10:15 — Red Bull: Max Verstappen & Isack Hadjar
11:00 — Ferrari (Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc) & Haas (Esteban Ocon, Oliver Bearman)
18:50 — Racing Bulls: Liam Lawson & Arvid Lindblad
19:10 — Alpine: Pierre Gasly & Franco Colapinto
19:20 — Mercedes: George Russell & Kimi Antonelli
The evening cluster — Racing Bulls, Alpine, Mercedes back to back from 18:50 — is the sweet spot of the weekend: qualifying is done, the crowds drift toward the stage, and the drivers are loose. Saturday evening is also when Axwell plays after qualifying — plan your night accordingly.
Thursday, October 1 — the pit-lane walk
This is the single best value of the weekend for driver-spotting. The Thursday pit-lane walk is not free — pit-walk tickets cost RM20 (about $5), and you must already hold a 3-day race ticket to buy one. Gates open at 14:30, the walk begins at 15:15, and last entry is 16:30. Only pit-walk ticket holders may enter the circuit on Thursday — there's no other track access that day.
Why it matters: Thursday is when drivers are most relaxed and most accessible, before the media grind of the weekend. The pit lane puts you meters from the garages. Buy the RM20 ticket — it's the cheapest driver-adjacent experience in F1.
Sunday, October 4 — parade and anthem
The drivers' track parade runs 13:30–13:40 on flatbed trucks around the circuit — visible from most grandstands, best from the Main Grandstand and K1. The national anthem follows at 14:44–14:46, and the race starts at 15:00 over 56 laps.
One thing we could not confirm: post-race track access. Sepang historically held a track invasion after the race, but F1 has tightened this at many circuits in recent years. Don't promise it to your group — mark it as TBC by the organizers.
Autograph strategy: the honest odds
Here's the part no one wants to tell you: there is no confirmed autograph wristband system or dedicated signing session at Sepang 2026. The Fan Forum is first-come-first-served viewing — you get stage proximity, not personal signings. So calibrate your strategy:
Best odds: the Thursday pit-lane walk — close quarters, relaxed drivers, your best shot at an actual signature. Second best: the paddock entry fences and the pit straight, traditional autograph spots, especially Thursday and Friday mornings before media duties pile up. Worst odds: waving a cap from row 40 of a grandstand during the parade.
What to bring: a permanent marker and something flat and signable (a cap, a program, a mini helmet — not your phone case, which they won't touch). Autograph etiquette: one item per person, don't block aisles, accept a wave as a win. And the golden rule: the forum gives you the drivers' personalities; the pit walk gives you their signatures. Pick your game.
Sources: GPDestinations trackside guide (updated September 27, 2026), bahraingp.com. Schedule verified September 28, 2026 — check the circuit's official channels on the day, as times can shift.
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