In a Formula One season that promises to be as unpredictable as ever, the venue for the second race of the season could not be a better one. The climate in Kuala Lumpur at this time of the year will make for as extreme a test of both man and machine as can be expected at any venue this year. If there are going to be retirements aplenty, expect them here. The 3.44-mile Sepang International Circuit, the first to be designed by F1 circuit architect Hermann Tilke, was first introduced to Formula 1 in 1999.
Now in its 16th year as part of the world championship, the track is popular among the drivers because, although it is predominantly flat, the variety of corners around the lap makes it an exciting challenge.The penultimate corner, in particular, can prove troublesome, as a delicate balance between throttle and brake is needed to navigate it successfully. Lock up and you are off the track, particularly if it is wet which, in Malaysia, it often is. In total, Sepang features 15 turns and a straight with speeds of 190mph, making for plenty of overtaking opportunities.
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Race Capsule:
Race Date: 30 Mar 2014
Circuit Name: Sepang International Circuit
First Grand Prix: 1999
Number of Laps: 56
Circuit Length: 5.543 km
Race Distance: 310.408 km
Lap Record: 1:34.223 – JP Montoya (2004)
Fri 28 March 2014
Practice 1: 10:00 – 11:30
Practice 2: 14:00 – 15:30
Sat 29 March 2014
Practice 3: 13:00 – 14:00
Qualifying: 16:00
Sun 30 March 2014
Race Green Flag: 16:00
The venue
Hot and dry with the ever-looming threat of a monsoon, drivers, engineers and journalists turn up at the Sepang International Circuit on each day of the race weekend never quite knowing what to expect.
The track is a short distance from Kuala Lumpur airport but 37 miles from the city itself. It is built on the site of a former oil palm plantation and the canopies above the grandstands are a nod to this, while also mirroring the 5,000 palm trees – planted to replace those that were lost – that surround the circuit.