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Massa

Malaysian Grand Prix

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Round two of the Formula One World Championship is this very weekend. No time to digest; the season starts at 200 miles per hour with a two-in-two to start the calendar. Works for me; I'd selfishly like 52 Grands Prix.

What from Melbourne applies? What from Melbourne won't? Will the picture get clearer or, as in last year's Malaysian Grand Prix, just become more confusing?

I'm excited to find out. I love F1.

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Yeah, so F1 finally comes round my neck of the woods.

It's been raining quite heavily every day from about 3pm - 6pm for the past 2 weeks. The rainy condition starts with wind picking up around 20mins before it pours buckets. When wind speed picks up you know rain is not far away. The rain starts of at biblical level and gradually reduces to light precipitation as sunset approaches.

Perhaps a quite surprising fact for a circuit that was described as "shabby" is a good track drainage (general undulations and cambered road surfaces), which should help get racing back on track if it does rain. However if one does a "pastor" and step into the wet grass, one should ideally be prepared at the pits for a new nose and floor, because water pools up under the grass and can pull components straight off.

If conditions are miraculously dry this weekend, sitting in the grandstands will give you sunburn even if you are shielded by the roofs because the intense heat will be reflected by the road surface. So that should give you guys an indication of how hot it is out here.

It's going to be a tricky race for the drivers, taking also into consideration the technical nature of the track.

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Yeah, so F1 finally comes round my neck of the woods.

It's been raining quite heavily every day from about 3pm - 6pm for the past 2 weeks. The rainy condition starts with wind picking up around 20mins before it pours buckets. When wind speed picks up you know rain is not far away. The rain starts of at biblical level and gradually reduces to light precipitation as sunset approaches.

Perhaps a quite surprising fact for a circuit that was described as "shabby" is a good track drainage (general undulations and cambered road surfaces), which should help get racing back on track if it does rain. However if one does a "pastor" and step into the wet grass, one should ideally be prepared at the pits for a new nose and floor, because water pools up under the grass and can pull components straight off.

If conditions are miraculously dry this weekend, sitting in the grandstands will give you sunburn even if you are shielded by the roofs because the intense heat will be reflected by the road surface. So that should give you guys an indication of how hot it is out here.

It's going to be a tricky race for the drivers, taking also into consideration the technical nature of the track.

Sepang has always been considered one of the most (if not the most) physically demanding circuits. Alonso collapsing from dehydration in 2007 after his drink system malfunctioned comes to mind.

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Well, I just checked F1.com for the practice times and, surprise surprise, storm expected all three days! Is the Safety car going to cross the start and finish line first? Will they postpone qualifying to then find out that it won't work anyway? Is it gonna be a race weekend or a popsicle-eating weekend?

I hope it will be racing! XD

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The thing I'm finding extremely ironic about this weekend is that they've moved the start time back to cater to us lazy Europeans (the very place Ecclestone says F1 is "finished" in) therefore increasing the possibility that it'll once again be red flagged due to a tropical storm.

Any point getting up for it with that in mind? Not really. You'll probably be wasting time watching these "best drivers in the world" stationary on the grid for several hours, because they can't race in the wet, before it gets called due to "fading light."

It really wouldn't take much for someone to find some sense and move the start time to earlier in the day like it used to be...

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It could potentially be worse if the start were pushed forward. It almost never rains in the morning over here in KL. If we were to start the race at 2pm instead of 4pm, we will probably start hot and dry, but as 3pm comes along (the average time rain starts here over the past 4 weeks) we would effectively have a red flag situation because in the first 15-20 minutes of rain, visibility will drop to about 30meters at best, and that is one major hazard to drivers and marshals that will even trouble the safety car, never mind the racing cars.

My guess is that by starting at 4pm, they hope to get the initial downpour out of the way and run a wet/inter/medium race to the flag. Of course I cannot be certain, all i can say is the teams better keep looking at the clouds northwest (the usual direction of wind in the afternoon)

In essence what I would say is that if you wanted to see the indications of who's who this season, look at the times in practice and qualifying. The race will probably be a lottery so it wouldn't really have too much bearing on which teams are going to be strong all season. But do look forward to good racecraft, strategy and timely calls for tyre changes.

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Yeah, so F1 finally comes round my neck of the woods.

It's been raining quite heavily every day from about 3pm - 6pm for the past 2 weeks. The rainy condition starts with wind picking up around 20mins before it pours buckets. When wind speed picks up you know rain is not far away. The rain starts of at biblical level and gradually reduces to light precipitation as sunset approaches.

Perhaps a quite surprising fact for a circuit that was described as "shabby" is a good track drainage (general undulations and cambered road surfaces), which should help get racing back on track if it does rain. However if one does a "pastor" and step into the wet grass, one should ideally be prepared at the pits for a new nose and floor, because water pools up under the grass and can pull components straight off.

If conditions are miraculously dry this weekend, sitting in the grandstands will give you sunburn even if you are shielded by the roofs because the intense heat will be reflected by the road surface. So that should give you guys an indication of how hot it is out here.

It's going to be a tricky race for the drivers, taking also into consideration the technical nature of the track.

Great contributions there. It's just amazing that anyone could do anything at 200 mph, and to do it in conditions that hot, and potentially that wet, is just so awesome to me.

The thing I'm finding extremely ironic about this weekend is that they've moved the start time back to cater to us lazy Europeans (the very place Ecclestone says F1 is "finished" in) therefore increasing the possibility that it'll once again be red flagged due to a tropical storm.

Any point getting up for it with that in mind? Not really. You'll probably be wasting time watching these "best drivers in the world" stationary on the grid for several hours, because they can't race in the wet, before it gets called due to "fading light."

It really wouldn't take much for someone to find some sense and move the start time to earlier in the day like it used to be...

I wouldn't get too angry about a situation that hasn't even happened yet. I'm looking forward to enjoying the racing this weekend and won't fault Ecclestone et al for not being able to project hour-by-hour weather reports months in advance. Why go into Sunday convincing yourself you'll be dissatisfied? It only guarantees that.

Anyway, the Red Bull RB9 is looking strong so far. It may not mean much, depending on conditions in the race, whether that's weather or tires.

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I wouldn't get too angry about a situation that hasn't even happened yet. I'm looking forward to enjoying the racing this weekend and won't fault Ecclestone et al for not being able to project hour-by-hour weather reports months in advance. Why go into Sunday convincing yourself you'll be dissatisfied? It only guarantees that.

+1 thbup.gif

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A Montoya-like moment for Sutil:

Pit:"Stay away from the kerbs"

AS: "No KERS, no KERS"

Pit: "No, not KERS. Kerbs, as in "sides of the circuit"

:lol:

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Red Bull looks like its shredding its tyres from onboard cameras.

Drivers reporting left front tyre wear issues

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Looking at the weather over Sepang from my window, looks like a lot of clouds, but not rainy grey ones. So i guess it will run as a dry session.

Looking good at FP1: Lotus, RBR, Mercedes, Ferrari & Force India

Let's see how FP2 looks, starting at the hourpost-3865-0-37177200-1363931563_thumb.jp

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And I am wrong!!

Light rain on some areas on track

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Looking at the weather over Sepang from my window, looks like a lot of clouds, but not rainy grey ones. So i guess it will run as a dry session.

Looking good at FP1: Lotus, RBR, Mercedes, Ferrari & Force India

Let's see how FP2 looks, starting at the hourpost-3865-0-37177200-1363931563_thumb.jp

U there?? WOW, business or F1 pleasure?

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I live in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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At least half the track is being rained on now. Drizzle in pitlane

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Track conditions are proving conclusively that I am absolute rubbish at predicting the weather, among other things....

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Track conditions are proving conclusively that I am absolute rubbish at predicting the weather, among other things....

Quite suprised at this light rain, it usually pours when it does

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Quite suprised at this light rain, it usually pours when it does

agreed. But it looks like the clouds are saving up for a full assault on rush hour traffic later at KL

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