7:46 – Formula 1 will visit Malaysia, and the Sepang circuit, for the final time this weekend, ending the country’s near 20-year run in the sport. GPUpdate.net previews the event and provides the key statistics.
Sepang:
Sepang, designed by Hermann Tilke, arrived in Formula 1 in 1999 and instantly established itself as one of the toughest tracks, given its technical demands and Malaysia’s intense humidity.
It started in a late-season slot, before shifting towards the start of the campaign, but in 2016 returned to a September/October date, which circuit chiefs preferred for promotional reasons.
However, amid dwindling attendance and expensive hosting fees, circuit and F1 chiefs agreed to end the contract a year early, with 2017 marking the final race in the country.
“Malaysia is another race where the weather will be very hot: last year, we had track temperatures up to 60°C,” says Force India’s Force India’s Chief Race Engineer, Tom McCullough.
“The conditions can be very unpredictable and there’s always a chance of rain showers, in particular during the early evening qualifying session at 5pm.
“In this regard, the conditions are very similar to what we saw in Singapore, with extreme heat and humidity; the main difference being the start time of the race, with the lights going off in the heat of the day at 3pm.
“The Sepang track features a good mix of low, medium and very high-speed corners, so the set-up needs to accommodate a large speed range.
“The track was resurfaced prior to the race last year, which improved ride response and reduced tyre degradation.
“It will be interesting to see how the track surface has evolved since.”
Form guide:
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes took a significant step towards both 2017 titles with victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, after Ferrari suffered a rare double retirement.
Sebastian Vettel, criticised for an aggressive line as he, Kimi Räikkönen and Max Verstappen clashed, is now 28 points back in the title race, meaning he cannot reclaim the lead in Malaysia.
Meanwhile, Mercedes’ advantage now stands at a whopping 102 points.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, though, has refused to get carried away, particularly with memories of Hamilton’s costly engine failure at Sepang last season still strong.
“The last race was a strong reminder that sport always has the power to surprise and defy all predictions,” he commented.
“We have been on the receiving end of those bad moments before, and we know that they can happen as easily to us as anybody else.
“The result in Singapore doesn’t change anything in terms of how we approach the final six races, beginning this weekend in Malaysia.
“We will need to be at the top of our game on every track if we want to maintain our lead in both championships to the end of the season.”
Red Bull, which capitalised on Hamilton’s misfortune 12 months ago to record a 1-2, will also be looking to stay in the victory fight, after a strong showing at the Marina Bay street track, following upgrades.
Red Bull and Force India remain in no man’s land, in terms of the championship, but fifth is still very much up for grabs, with Williams, Toro Rosso, Renault and Haas covered by 22 points.
Toro Rosso will hope that debutant Pierre Gasly can contribute to the team’s points tally, in place of Daniil Kvyat, who has been “stood down” amid a challenging season.
McLaren’s golden chance to score big in Singapore was dented by Fernando Alonso being taken out at Turn 1, but Stoffel Vandoorne’s haul at least built a solid gap back to Sauber.
Current grid at the Malaysian GP:
Vettel, despite his recent setback, heads the all-time victory list at the Malaysian Grand Prix, having taken four wins, three of them during his Red Bull days, before triumphing in only his second race at Ferrari in 2015.
Alonso and Räikkönen are also repeat winners of the event, while Ricciardo is the only other active driver to have won at Sepang, with his aforementioned 2016 result.
Repeat Malaysian GP winners:
4 Sebastian Vettel – 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015
3 Michael Schumacher – 2000, 2001, 2004
Fernando Alonso – 2005, 2007, 2012
2 Kimi Räikkönen – 2003, 2008
Factfile:
Venue: Sepang International Circuit
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 15
Laps: 56
Race date: October 1, 2017
Circuit opened: 1999
First Grand Prix: 1999
Lap record: 1:34.223 (Juan Pablo Montoya, 2004)
Circuit length: 5.543 km (3.444 mi)
Race distance: 310.408 km (192.878 mi)
2017 timetable (GMT +8):
Friday September 29
Practice 1 11:00-12:30 local time
Practice 2 15:00-16:30 local time
Saturday September 30
Practice 3 14:00-15:00 local time
Qualifying 17:00 local time
Sunday October 1
Race 15:00 local time
Additional on-track events:
FIA Formula 4 SEA
Porsche Carrera Cup
Malaysia Championship Series
Driver steward: Danny Sullivan
DRS zones:
Zone 1 – Back straight
Zone 2 – Main straight
Pitlane speed limit:
80 km/h (49.7 mph) for the entire event
Tyre Choice: Super Soft / Soft / Medium
Fuel usage: 1.88kg per lap
Top speed: 330 km/h (205 mph)
Full throttle: 62 per cent of lap
Gear changes: 60 per lap
Weather forecast:
Friday – Heavy rain showers, high 30°C / low 25°C
Saturday – Thundery showers, high 30°C / low 24°C
Sunday – Thundery showers, high 30°C / low 25°C
Next race:
Japanese Grand Prix
Source :http://feeds.gpupdate.net
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