2011 will see the 13th edition of the Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix in Sepang,and significantly, it will be the ‘home race’ of threeFormula 1 teams – the PETRONAS-backed Mercedes Grand Prix, the 1Malaysia Team Lotus and the LotusRenault GP, which is backed by the Proton-owned Lotus Group.
Malaysia hosts Round 3 of the 2011 Formula 1 World
Championship from April 8 to 10; and by the time the battle comes to Sepang, the competing teams will already have found their rhythm and ready to deliver another ‘world’s hottest race’.
Competing under the challenging and unpredictable tropical weather, Sepang has without fail provided the best of on-track actions since the inaugural Formula 1 race in 1999, which saw the return of Michael Schumacher from injury as he helped team-mate Eddie Irvine to a 1-2 finish for Scuderia Ferrari.
Designed by prominent German racetrack architect Hermann Tilke, Sepang Circuit has been hailed by the Formula 1 drivers as one of the best racing tracks; given its wide characteristics with plenty of overtaking opportunities and large run-off areas.
After finishing second in Sepang’s first race,Schumacher went one step higher in 2000; beating off David Coulthard and his Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello in the final race of the season. It was also the last race organised at the tail end of the season in Sepang, whose dates were then shifted to March and early April.
Winning the Sepang crown two more times for Ferrari in 2001 and 2004 made him the King of Sepang. His first race in a Mercedes in 2010 was a nightmare, as the legendary driver was forced to retire after only nine laps.
But, it saw the rise of another German in a young Sebastian Vettel, who took top honours in Sepang and eventually went on to win the 2010 world crown with his Red Bull Racing Team and inevitably, hailed as the new Schumi. The team, undoubtedly, was the team of the 2010 season and Vettel has already been installed as the firm favourite for the 2011 crown along with his Australian team-mate, Mark Webber.
Since 1999, Sepang has crowned eight champions in its 12-year history and only the senior Schumacher has successfully defended his crown in 2002. Ralf Schumacher won the race in Sepang in 2002 thatwitnessed a first corner incident that blew Michael’s dreams of a hat-trick that year.
Despite his favourite tag, Vettel is expected to face a mountainous task to emulate his German compatriot as former winners Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button have been very strong in Sepang. And; that promises another motor racing showcase.
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