Preparations begin for the F1 Grand Prix

With less than a month to the 2011 Formula 1 Malaysia Grand Prix, preparations are in full swing at the Sepang Race Circuit, and to build the momentum, F1-related activities are being organised, culminating in South Korean superstar Rain’s open air concert on April 10.

Following the postponement of the season-opener, the Bahrain Grand Prix, the 13th edition of F1 will be held in Australia at Albert Park in Melbourne from March 25 to 27. Sepang International Circuit (SIC) senior manager (Track Operations) Mashitah Hashim said beginning Monday, only preparations related to the F1 were allowed although some minor preparatory work like giving the complex a new coat of paint and drawing new track lines and painting of the kerbs had started.

Staff behind the scene: The race Control Room is a busy place where the logistics associated with the tracks are worked out for the F1 race next month.

She said from Monday onwards the support team would be working non-stop to ensure the tracks were ready, commissioning the Race Control Room (RCR) and checking the CCTVs as well as the traffic lighting system. Mashitah said the track was electronically linked through a network of fibre optic cables ystem along the track to 27 closed circuit television cameras which are centrally monitored at the control room.

“Every incident along the 5.543km circuit is recorded and will be closely watched by the clerk of the course during events as safety is the utmost importance,’’ she added. The decade-old television monitors in the control room will be replaced with new flat screen TV sets. While the marketing and promotion are in full swing, SIC is also racing against time to promote the F1 concert featuring Rain which is free for all Grandstand ticket holders but those with Hillstand tickets will need to top up RM138 to catch the superstar’s performance.

Going all out: Yong promoting the Rain concert which is one of the highlights of the F1 race this year.

“However, SIC will be offering a special combined ticket for access at both the F1 race and the concert at RM200 for seats at the covered Hillstand C2. The top-ups can be done at any of the ticket counters,’’ said chief marketing officer Hannah Yong. Yong said there were no tickets sold just for the concert which would be held on a special stage at the SIC helipad, overlooking the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) Terminal.

Jun HiHoon, or popularly known as Rain is a multi-talented artiste who has released seven albums and acted in American films like Speed Racer in 2008 and Ninja Assassin in 2009. She said Rain would be bringing his own dance team and the show was one that should not be missed.

-thestar online.

www.malaysiangp.com.my