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Malaysian Grand Prix Preview

After the first race of the season last week in
Melbourne, Australia, the formula one teams and drivers now tackle a different
beast this week at the Sepang circuit, just southwest of Kuala Lumpur in
Malaysia. Melbourne was a track just around three miles a lap, but this time
the track is much wider, and goes a little bit further, with more hairpins and
two long straights.

The start begins on a main straightaway, and goes
for 11 seconds at top speed, until there is huge right handed breaking zone
that will shift the car from seventh to second gear, as you take the turn at
just 40 miles per hour. Then the throttle can suddenly accelerate as the driver
goes into the third turn, with turns five and six very quick, taken at about
150 miles per hour, with just a small lift off of the throttle. Next to the
last straight actually is another long straight, with the speed here at about
200 miles per hour, then the braking hits again and a left hairpin turn accelerates
the car back onto the main straight. The pit lane is in view on the last corner
to the right, and can be very hard to see from the middle of the last straight,
so it can come up very fast to the driver.

However, this track has more of a history of what
occurs every year: the rain and high humidity. Since the grand prix is held close
to the equator than any other race on the calendar, it has been known for its
high ambient temperatures, and in 2009, it was surely tested, with a downpour
that was so heavy, that the race that season was stopped at the halfway point. Because
the showers were slow to clear, and with darkness approaching, the event finally
was called, and Jenson Button, who was in the lead, won the race, and received only
half of his points.

At Melbourne, the drivers complained about the tires
graining and wearing out fast. Here at Sepang, they might have to worry about
how much sweaty water they will lose in their race suits, and their rain tires,
which they hope to get enough grip in the possible upcoming wet conditions. It
has been a challenge for many years that this track has endured for around for
14 years, and probably will never change.

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