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Sepang circuit, at a minimum of 16 meters, is very
wide even by modern Grand Prix standards, allowing for
varying lines into corners which is designed to
encourage overtaking. There are 15 turns and eight
straights, the longest of which is 927 meters.
Cars arrive at Turn 1
having built up speed down half the length of the main
straight in 6th gear, at about 185 mph. The right-hand
corner leads immediately into the left-hander with 2nd
gear being held all the way through and the speed
dropping to 60 mph. A high positive camber promotes a
good overtaking opportunity.
The track forms a
sweeping right hand curve that takes cars onto a short
straight where the speed will reach around 155 mph in
top gear before hard braking for turn 4 - a tight
right hander - brings them down to 2nd or 3rd gear and
75 mph.
Turns 5 and 6 are short
high speed left and right handed corners requiring
precise positioning and a slight lifting of the
throttle to get through them successfully. Then it's
through gears 4 and 5 up to 140 mph to the double apex
of turns 7 and 8 which are taken in 4th gear at around
110 mph.
A short 5th gear
straight taken at 170 mph leads into the very tight
turn 9 which is navigated in 1st or 2nd gear at 50
mph. Accelerating briefly to 4th before dropping to
3rd leads to three fairly quick corners. Turn 10 is
taken at around 135 mph breaking to 90 mph for the
long right hander, Turn 11, that leads into the back
straight where 6th gear takes cars to 155 mph through
Turn 12 before slowing to negotiate a relatively slow
Turn 13.
The pick-up from 30 mph
to about 80 is an ideal place for the well placed
driver to out-drag his opponent before the all
important 185 mph back main straight leads cars to the
final hairpin. This is taken in 2nd gear at about 65
mph and can seem endless as drivers pass the end of
the futuristic main Grandstand before accelerating up
to the start finish line.
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