SEPANG: Melbourne may stage the opening race of the season but the real battle lies ahead in the Malaysia F1 Grand Prix here this weekend. The teams and their star drivers found it easier to cope with the cooler temperatures in Australia but they will have to brace for a different type of challenge in Malaysia. The Sepang circuit has been acknowledged by the drivers as the hottest and certainly the most humid venue of the year with temperatures now touching 35°C.
Sepang International Circuit (SIC) chief executive officer Datuk Ahmad Razlan Razali, who was at the GP in Melbourne two weeks ago, is optimistic that the fans will get to see yet another exciting race in Sepang. “The cancellation of the first round in Bahrain was advantageous to us as it makes Sepang the first race on a permanent track. The Australian GP was held on a street track,” he said. “I believe Sepang will see the true potential of all the teams and their cars. It has traditionally been an entertaining race in Sepang with unpredictable weather.”
In 2009, the race was red-flagged after 31 laps due to torrential rain while a number of drivers were caught out by a downpour during qualifying last year. The possibility of seeing the Pirellis, back as tyre suppliers in F1 after a decade, debuting their intermediate and wet tyres is very strong in Sepang.
Reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel of the Red Bull Racing Team stamped his mark in Melbourne by dominating the qualifying session and taking a pole-to-flag victory. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was second while Lotus Renault’s Vitaly Petrov claimed his first-ever podium in third place.
-thestar online.
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