Introduction – Malaysia: Goodbye Sepang
For the fourteenth stage of the season, Formula 1 only had one border to cross to set up its motorhomes in Sepang. At the end of this Grand Prix, Malaysia will bid farewell, Lewis Hamilton will do everything to win a fourth consecutive victory and break the bad luck of last year, while Sebastian Vettel will want to overturn the trend to keep hoping for a fifth title and erase the disaster of Singapore.
“Every year, Malaysia has been a special race due to the heat and the circuit’s characteristics. I am very sad to see Sepang disappear from the calendar after this edition. I hope we will see Malaysian fans at other Grand Prix and that they will continue to follow us online.”
Like Sergio Pérez, we will be sad not to see Malaysia on the calendar next season. Like Singapore located a bit further south, Sepang offered a real human challenge and stood out as one of the most physically demanding weekends of the season. The heat, humidity, and rain add to the charm of the Malaysian stage, as much as the parasol stands overlooking the circuit’s straights.
Swan song
The 5.543 km Sepang circuit allows drivers to fully exercise their driving skills with slow corners, medium-speed bends, and fast curves. The snail right-left sequence with camber is reminiscent of the T1-T3 combination on the Shanghai circuit, which was built later. Some 56 laps must be completed to finish the Grand Prix, except during the 2009 edition where 33 laps were necessary for Jenson Button to win a race interrupted by torrential rain – only half of the initial points were awarded.
Arrival in the Formula 1 calendar in 1999, Malaysia has provided great spectacle and eventful races. The most memorable moment is of course Lewis Hamilton’s engine failure last year, with all his distress broadcasted on the radio and a championship going up in smoke.
But we can go much further back, with the 2001 race as an example that Formula One decided to broadcast (chosen after a poll) to mark the occasion of the last edition of the Malaysian Grand Prix. Dramatic twists, torrential rain, high-level maneuvers, and visits to the gravel traps are available here. It’s also an opportunity to listen to the melody of the V10 engines once again for the more nostalgic fans.
A widening gap and diminishing opportunities
Before this 14th Grand Prix of the season, Lewis Hamilton has twice the points lead over Sebastian Vettel – 28 points. This comfortable cushion is the result of a hat-trick since the restart and especially the outcome of Vettel’s judgment error two weeks ago. At this stage of the season, many agree that the German still has his chances against the Briton.
The FW08 is dominant on the weekends when expected and surprises on the weekends when it’s not, as was the case in Singapore. Except that, having secured pole position in the Ferrari, Vettel showcased the performance of the SF70H but also deprived his team of a good result.
We hope, for the drivers’ championship battle, that the German has put things back in place and will be present for this Grand Prix and the five others to come. The sentiment is similar regarding the Scuderia because the prancing horse has given up a lot of points to the Silver Arrows during the last race weekends, which tarnishes a great start to the season.
Placing Pierre Gasly in Daniil Kvyat’s STR12 is the gamble Toro Rosso has taken to boost its competitiveness. The Russian driver only offered 4 points to his team in 2017 compared to 48 for Carlos Sainz, which is not satisfactory. The simple strategy of the small Scuderia is to aim for Williams’ 5th place – 59 points – while keeping Renault and Haas at bay.
These four teams, trailing behind Force India, are heading to Abu Dhabi to compete for the 5th place in the constructors’ standings, synonymous with better distribution of television rights revenues from the FOM.
To (really) know everything…
This year the Italian manufacturer has decided to bring a range that is one step softer compared to last season. Medium, soft, and super-soft tires are in the spotlight for this weekend.
Find the pilots’ choices:
We’re all about the shoes. 👟👠👢👞👡 #Fit4F1 #MalaysiaGP 🇲🇾
https://t.co/HiB4d0Lm0k— Pirelli Motorsport (@pirellisport) 19 septembre 2017
DRS will be activatable in two zones: the first on the back straight between turns 14 and 15, the second between turns 15 and 1 on the start-finish line. The single detection point is placed at the approach to turn 13.
This weekend will not be an exception concerning the weather. A heavily overcast sky, chances of rain around 50%, average temperatures of 30°C in the morning and afternoon that will feel around 40°C due to high humidity levels. The greatest chances of rain are concentrated on Saturday, and the wettest day will be Sunday, adding to the challenge of the race.
Don’t forget the TV schedule!
