Malaysia: Sepang Track Facts

Pic by Szr Ming Wong
By Phil Huff
April 4 2007

Devised by Hermann Tilke, the Sepang circuit is a visually dramatic, beautifully equipped facility, and has been lavished with much praise by teams and drivers alike since joining the World Championship in 1999.

The demanding 15-turn, 5.543km track features a pair of parallel straights plus a combination of low and medium-speed corners that really test drivers. Indeed, Sepang is regarded as one of the most physically demanding tracks in the world, with the extremely high levels of humidity making the race particularly difficult.

The surface is wide and smooth with overtaking most likely to occur under braking for the tight corners at the end of each straight.

Sepang also provides wonderful spectator facilities, including a unique "double-sided" 30,000-seat grandstand with an unusual roof in the shape of an hibiscus - the national flower of Malaysia.

Jenson Button secured his maiden podium finish for BAR Honda in 2004, bringing his 006 home in second place. Jenson then went on to record further 9 podium finishes through the season, finishing the championship behind only the Ferrari drivers.

Last years race was also successful, with Jenson lining up on the front row of the grid, alongside Renault's Giancarlo Fisichella. Team mate Rubens Barrichello started further back, in 12th place, but improved to take tenth by the end. Button couldn't hold off double world champion Fernando Alonso in the superior Renault, but still finished up on the podium again, this time in third place.

The previous seasons race at Sepang marked a low spot for the team, with both Jenson Button and third driver Anthony Davidson (standing in for a sick Takuma Sato) retiring within the first three laps.