Malasia Grand Prix in Stats

F1 Circuit	Malaysia Grand Prix Circuit
Circuit Name	Sepang International Circuit
Country	Kuala Lumpur
City	Malaysia
Circuit Type	Permanent course
Capacity	133,000
Designer	Hermann Tilke
First Race Held	1999
Number of Races Held	14
Number of Laps	56
Circuit Direction	Clockwise
Total Number of Corners	15
Number of Right Hand Corners	10
Number of Left Hand Corners	5
Maximum G-Force	4.0 G
Circuit length	5.543 km (3.444 mi)
Race length	310.408 km (192.878 mi)
From Startline to First Corner	500m
Pit Lane Length	420m
Longest Stretch at Full Throttle	12s (on the pit straight)
Time Spent At Full Throttle	65%
Number of Gear Changes	57
Most Successful Team	Ferrari, 6 wins
Most Successful Driver	Michael Schumacher/Fernando Alonso, 3 wins
Lap Record	1:34.223 - Montoya, Williams, 2004
Lap Record Average Speed	212kph, 132mph
Top Speed Recorded	315 km/h (195 mph)
Wins From Pole	7/50%
Time Zone	UTC +8
Coordinates	2° 45′ 38″ N, 101° 44′ 15″ E
Average Temperature	33°C
Average Weather	Hot, Humid, Showery

CIRCUIT INFO

In the 1990s Dr Mahathir Mohamad, Malaysia's prime minister, declared that by 2020 the country should be a fully industrialised nation. Part of this plan involved the construction of a race circuit - the result was the Sepang International Circuit.

Designed by "the architect of F1", Hermann Tilke, Sepang is considered one of the most technical circuits on the calendar and is a firm favourite with the drivers. The combination of long, high-speed, straights and tight corner complexes were designed with overtaking in mind.

Situated 60km from the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur and close to the city's international airport, the circuit also hosts the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix as well as the A1 GP race.

But the government's early enthusiasm waned and little money was pumped into the venue. Nor has the racing ever attracted more than passing interest from the locals.

Shortly before the 2007 grand prix, Bernie Ecclestone hit out at the facility saying it had become "shabby" and describing it as "an old house that needs a bit of redecorating". Circuit bosses admitted it was in need of $60 million to bring it up to scratch.

The circuit currently has a contract to host the race until 2011 and although the organisers had expressed an interest in making the event a night race, plans have since been dropped.