Malaysia: SAUBER PETRONAS Prepare for Home Race


By Jamie Makin
March 29 2005

After a disappointing start to the season in Melbourne, Australia last weekend, team SAUBER PETRONAS will be seeking a change of fortune in their 'home' race at the Sepang Circuit near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Although Malaysia is renowned for it's demanding track and climate, the team has done well there in prior years. They have finished in two-thirds of their starts and scored points in the last three years. In those same three years, they have not had a DNF either. The challenge to finish this year will be tougher though, thanks to new rules which mandate an engine last two race weekends.

"Sepang requires the maximum downforce we can muster under the new regulations. However, because of the high ambient temperatures, adequate cooling is also essential to ensure reliability," explained Technical Director Willy Rampf. "This will be particularly critical because under the new rules this will be the second race weekend for the PETRONAS engines that we ran in Australia."

The team is still seeking to understand their new C24 and find a competitive setup. The Sepang Circuit is a difficult track to set a car up for so the team has their work cut out for them.

"The track characteristic is a good mix of slow-speed corners where traction is crucial, and high-speed sweeps that require high stability. So the challenge for the engineers is to find the right compromise," Rampf said. "The surface has a medium grip level and is quite abrasive, and together with the high track temperatures that adds up to the toughest test of the tyres as we may only use one set for qualifying and the race. A careful choice from the two Michelin specifications will therefore be of particular importance on Friday."

SAUBER PETRONAS - Prior Results at Sepang Circuit, Malaysia: