| The
Sepang circuit, at a minimum of 16
meters, is very wide even by modern
Grand Prix standards, allowing for
varying lines into corners which is
designed to encourage overtaking.
There are 15 turns and eight
straights, the longest of which is
927 meters. |
| Cars
arrive at Turn 1 having built up
speed down half the length of the
main straight in 6th gear, at about
185 mph. The right-hand corner leads
immediately into the left-hander
with 2nd gear being held all the way
through and the speed dropping to 60
mph. A high positive camber promotes
a good overtaking opportunity. |
| The
track forms a sweeping right hand
curve that takes cars onto a short
straight where the speed will reach
around 155 mph in top gear before
hard braking for turn 4 - a tight
right hander - brings them down to
2nd or 3rd gear and 75 mph. |
| Turns
5 and 6 are short high speed left
and right handed corners requiring
precise positioning and a slight
lifting of the throttle to get
through them successfully. Then it's
through gears 4 and 5 up to 140 mph
to the double apex of turns 7 and 8
which are taken in 4th gear at
around 110 mph. |
| A
short 5th gear straight taken at 170
mph leads into the very tight turn 9
which is navigated in 1st or 2nd
gear at 50 mph. Accelerating briefly
to 4th before dropping to 3rd leads
to three fairly quick corners. Turn
10 is taken at around 135 mph
breaking to 90 mph for the long
right hander, Turn 11, that leads
into the back straight where 6th
gear takes cars to 155 mph through
Turn 12 before slowing to negotiate
a relatively slow Turn 13. |
| The
pick-up from 30 mph to about 80 is
an ideal place for the well placed
driver to out-drag his opponent
before the all important 185 mph
back main straight leads cars to the
final hairpin. This is taken in 2nd
gear at about 65 mph and can seem
endless as drivers pass the end of
the futuristic main Grandstand
before accelerating up to the start
finish line. |
