2016 MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX 30 September – 02 October 2016
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2016 MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX 30 September – 02 October 2016 fter a thrilling Singapore Grand Prix, the 2016 Formula One SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT AWorld Championship continues its South East Asian sojourn Length of lap: 5.543km with Round 16 of the campaign, the Malaysian Grand Prix. Lap record: 1:34.223 (Juan Pablo Montoya, Williams, 2004) However, while just 350km separate the two race locations, Start line/finish line offset: 0.000km Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit is a world away from Total number of race laps: 56 Singapore in terms of track configuration and challenge. The Total race distance: 310.408km low average speeds and twisting streets of Marina Bay are this Pitlane speed limits: 80km/h in weekend replaced by a purpose built circuit featuring high- practice, qualifying, and the race speed straights and a preponderance of medium- and high- speed corners. There is an obvious commonality between CIRCUIT NOTES the two circuits, however – the heat. Average ambient ► The track and pit lane (fast lane) temperatures at this time of year are in the region of 32˚C and have been re-surfaced. In a number of locations (Turns Two, with in-car temperatures likely to soar well above that mark, this Five, Nine and 15) the levels of the race is another tough test for drivers. track have been re-profiled. ► Grass-Crete has been laid behind Sepang puts pressure on machinery, too. Some 60% of the lap the apex kerbs in Turns Two, Four is taken at full throttle, which puts a car’s internal combustion and Nine. engine under more strain than usual. The circuit’s two long ► At Turn 15, the guardrail on the straights also place a heavy load on the turbo, meaning that the driver’s right on the exit has been Malaysian Grand Prix is harder on power units than many other moved further from the track. The venues. The temperatures, abrasive track surface and heavy tyre barrier around the outside of the turn has been rebuilt and lateral loads through its high-speed turns mean that tyre wear fitted with a new conveyor belt. is also a concern at Sepang. A 70m section of new debris fence has been installed behind the In the Drivers’ Championship, three straight wins have handed guardrail straight on at the turn. the title lead back to Nico Rosberg, and the German heads into Lastly, the angle of the guardrail this weekend with an eight-point lead over Mercedes team- downstream of the openings on the driver’s left between Turn 15 mate and arch-rival Lewis Hamilton. Meanwhile, a second-place and Turn One has been changed finish in Singapore extended Daniel Ricciardo’s advantage over to ensure the openings are more Sebastian Vettel to 26 points in the battle for third place overall. in line with current best practice. DRS ZONE In the Constructors’ Championship, Mercedes could this ► In a change from recent years, weekend become champions elect unless they are outscored there will be a single DRS by eight points by nearest rivals Red Bull Racing or 23 points by detection point, 54m after Turn third-placed Ferrari. Elsewhere, the tight battle for fourth place 12. There will be two activation overall sees Force India go into this weekend’s event just a single points, the first 104m after Turn 14 and the second activation 28m point clear of Williams. after Turn 15. FAST FACTS ► This will be the 18th Malaysian Grand Renault in 2002 before moving to BAR ► Alonso scored each of his three wins with Prix. The race joined the Formula One in 2003. He claimed his first win at the a different team. His first grand prix win World Championship Calendar in 1999 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix with Honda. at Sepang came in 2005 while driving and has featured each year since. Button has won 14 more times since, the for Renault. He then won in 2007 for most recent of which was at the Brazilian McLaren and in 2012 for Ferrari. ► The inaugural grand prix took place on Grand Prix of 2012. Six of Button’s wins October 17, 1999. The following year’s came in the 2009 season when, racing for ► Räikkönen’s 2003 win was his first in F1. race, on October 22, was the final race of the Brawn GP team, he won the Drivers’ He has been on the top step a further that year’s schedule. Thereafter, the race Championship title. In addition to his 19 times since, with his most recent win moved to an earlier calendar slot, taking 15 wins he has scored 35 other podium coming at the 2013 Australian Grand Prix place 11 times in March and four times finishes and eight pole positions. Button while driving for Lotus. in April. This year, for the first time since is due to take a sabbatical at the end of 2000, it has a late-season date. this season, by which time he is set to ► Ferrari is the most successful constructor reach a total of 305 grands prix, one less at the Malaysian Grand Prix. The Italian ► This weekend is set to be Jenson Button’s than Schumacher. squad has taken seven wins, more than 300th race start. Only two drivers have double the total of nearest challengers previously passed the 300-race mark ► The most successful driver at the Red Bull Racing who have three. McLaren – Michael Schumacher in Singapore Malaysian Grand Prix is Sebastian Vettel. have two, while the race has also been in 2012 and Rubens Barrichello who The German has four wins at the Sepang won by Williams, Brawn and Mercedes. reached the milestone at the 2010 Circuit, in 2010-11 and 2013 for Red Bull Japanese Grand Prix. Barrichello remains Racing and last year for Ferrari. His 2015 ► Michael Schumacher holds the record the driver with the most starts – 322. victory was his first for Ferrari. Michael for most pole positions here, with five. Schumacher and Fernando Alonso are The first came in the inaugural event and ► Button made his race debut at the next on the list of repeat winners, with was followed by front-of-grid starts from 2000 Australian Grand Prix driving for three victories each. The only other 2001-2002 and in 2004. Lewis Hamilton is Williams. He raced 17 times for Williams multiple F1 winner at Sepang is Kimi next on the list with three poles, in 2012 before moving to Benetton in 2001. He Räikkönen. The Finn won in 2003 for McLaren and in 2014 and 2015 with stayed with the team when it became for McLaren and in 2008 for Ferrari. Mercedes. RACE STEWARDS BIOGRAPHIES TIM MAYER FIA ALTERNATE DELEGATE TO THE USA, FIA STEWARD As the son of former McLaren team principal Teddy Mayer, Tim Mayer grew up around motor sport. He organised IndyCar races internationally from 1992-98, aided the construction of several circuits, and produced international TV for multiple series. In 1998 he became CART’s Senior VP for Racing Operations. He also became VP of ACCUS, the US ASN. In 2003, Mayer became COO of IMSA, operating multiple series at all levels, and also took on the role of COO and Race Director of the American Le Mans Series. He was elected an independent Director of ACCUS and FIA US Alternate Delegate, responsible for US World Championship events. STEVEN CHOPPING FORMER VICE PRESIDENT OF THE CONFEDERATION OF AUSTRALIAN MOTOR SPORT (CAMS), CHAIRMAN CAMS JUDICIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE, PERMANENT CHAIRMAN OF THE STEWARDS PANEL FOR THE V8 SUPERCAR CHAMPIONSHIP Steven Chopping began participating in motorsports in the 1960’s. He competed as a driver in various karting, Formula Ford, Australian Formula 2, Sports and Production Car competitions from the early seventies until 1990. Chopping was a steward at the Australian Rally Championship from 1997-2004 and Chairman of the Stewards at the Australian Production Car Rally Championship from 2001- 2004. He has been a permanent steward at the V8 Supercar Championship in Australia since 2004, national steward at the Australian Grand Prix from 2005 and marked his debut as an international FIA F1 steward at the Belgium Grand Prix of 2012. DEREK WARWICK FORMER FORMULA ONE DRIVER AND WORLD SPORTSCAR CHAMPION Derek Warwick raced in 146 grands prix from 1981 to 1993, appearing for Toleman, Renault, Brabham, Arrows and Lotus. He scored 71 points and achieved four podium finishes, with two fastest laps. He was World Sportscar Champion in 1992, driving for Peugeot. He also won Le Mans in the same year. He raced Jaguar sportscars in 1986 and 1991 and competed in the British Touring Car Championship between 1995 and 1998, as well as a futher appearance at the Le Mans in 1996, driving for the Courage Competition team. Warwick is a frequent FIA driver steward and is President of the British Racing Drivers’ Club. 2016 Formula One World Championship DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS AUSTRALIA BAHRAIN CHINA RUSSIA SPAIN MONACO CANADA EUROPE AUSTRIA GB HUNGARY GERMANY BELGIUM ITALY SINGAPORE MALAYSIA JAPAN USA MEXICO BRAZIL ABU DHABI POINTS 25 25 25 25 6 10 25 12 15 18 12 25 25 25 1 N. ROSBERG 1 1 1 1 NC 7 5 1 4 3 2 4 1 1 1 - 273 18 15 6 18 25 25 10 25 25 25 25 15 18 15 2 L. HAMILTON 2 3 7 2 NC 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 3 2 3 265 12 12 12 12 18 6 6 10 12 15 18 18 10 18 3 D. RICCIARDO 4 4 4 11 4 2 7 7 5 4 3 2 2 5 2 179 4 15 18 15 12 18 18 2 12 10 8 15 10 S.