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Jum'at - 16/3
Latihan Bebas 1
Latihan Bebas 2 |
Sabtu - 17/3
Latihan Bebas 1
Latihan Bebas 2
Kualifikasi |
Minggu - 18/3
Pemanasan
Balapan |
Circuit information:
| Round Number: |
2 |
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| Race Date: |
18-03-2001 |
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| Country: |
Malaysia |
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| City: |
Kuala Lumpur (click for location map) |
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| Circuit Name: |
Sepang |
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| Circuit Length: |
5543 m. |
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| Number of Laps: |
56 |
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| Race Length: |
310.408 m |
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| 2000 Pole Position: |
Michael Schumacher |
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| 2000 Winner: |
Michael Schumacher |
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| 2000 Fastest Lap: |
Mika Häkkinen |
|
 Circuit
Description, History, Facts and
Figures |
|
Malaysia is determined to become more than
just an exotic name on the map. Its most
remarkable landmark, the Kuala Lumpur Tower is the
largest in South East Asia, the fourth highest in
the world, standing 421 metres tall.
But
now the country has another magnet for world
attention: the Sepang F1 Circuit, unanimously
praised by the drivers last year. German track
designer Hermann Tilke was given the luxury of a
clean sheet of paper and the final result is
stunning, both in concept and in detail.
A
huge grandstand with seating for 30,000 spectators
fills the space between the two straights. The
visual has been given as much emphasis as the
technical; the roof of the grandstand being shaped
like a banana leaf. Continuing the floral theme,
the shape of the Control Tower roof is taken from
the Hibiscus, Malaysia's national flower.
Malaysia looks to have an international
motor sport future, even if it has not got much of
a past. There was a grand prix of sorts held as
far back as 1949 and motor cycle racing has been
popular since the Fifties, when one of the star
riders went by the exotic name of Bulldog Kwan,
the Hell Rider! Indeed, the two wheeled fraternity
had the honour of staging the first international
event to be run at Sepang back in April. The
circuit has some strange natural hazards though.
During the motorcycle grand prix weekend
back in 1999, one competitor was very surprised
when some debris reared up just before he smacked
into it: Cobras are abundant! They were introduced
to the country to control the large rat population
which does terrible damage to the rubber plants,
which still form an important part of Malaysian
economy.
If snakes are not your thing,
then consider that during practice last year, the
TV cameras picked up a leopard walking along the
wrong side of the barrier, while the cars were
going round the track. Motor racing suddenly got
more dangerous than usual!
The downside to
the Sepang Circuit which celebrates its first
birthday as a grand prix venue this weekend, is
the weather, which can be very hot and
unpleasantly humid. We are fast approaching the
monsoon season and the organisers take this threat
very seriously. Last year they employed a "bomoh
hujan" or witch doctor to try and delay any storms
until after the F1 cars had finished on the
track. | |
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Sirkuit - 2001 |
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