Track Focus: Sepang International
Added on Wednesday, October 21st, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Track Focus: Sepang International
The MotoGP paddock heads to one of the championship’s newest and longest circuits this weekend as the title race continues at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia.
Built in 1999, Sepang has hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix ever since, taking over from Johor and prior to that Shah Alam, which hosted the first Malaysian GP in 1991.
Predominantly built for Formula One, the Sepang circuit is the longest circuit on the MotoGP road trip, stretching a massive 5.531km in length, some 56km south of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur.
Undoubtedly the most iconic aspect of the circuit is the huge circular roof that towers over the final hairpin, providing the pivot for the two grandstands that sit back to back on the pit straight and the straight leading to the final turn, creating the spectators piazza in between.
The feature is perhaps one of the key reasons why Sepang has managed to dodge the criticism that plagued Shanghai before it was eventually dropped from the calendar, despite being designed German designer Hermann Tilke, the man that went on to design the Chinese circuit. Where many new circuits fall down due to a lack of character, Sepang seems to have added enough personal touches to duck that particular criticism.
It certainly won’t draw criticism from spectators flying in from overseas, with the circuit sitting next to Malaysia’s main airport and it also won’t draw much criticism from Valentino Rossi, who could secure the championship this weekend on a circuit that he has plenty of fond memories of.
Rossi has won five times from nine outings in the premier class series in Sepang and has only failed to make the podium twice, with one of those being a race retirement in 2000. Of the current crop of riders, only Casey Stoner (2007) and Loris Capirossi (2005) have managed to stop Rossi in the GP class, both of whom were riding Ducatis.
The Yamaha should also be better suited to Sepang than the Ducati. Whilst the straights will play into Stoner’s favour, Sepang features a number of tricky breaking zones which is where the Yamaha should have the edge.
Other riders to win here in the support classes include Jorge Lorenzo, who won in the 250s in 2006, Toni Elias, who won the 250cc race in 2003, Gabor Talmacsi, who has won the 125cc race for the past two years and Dani Pedrosa, who has won in both the 250s and 125s.
Track Focus: Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia.
| Location | Sepang, Malaysia | Google Maps |
| Opened | 1999 |
| First MotoGP | 1999 |
| Length | 5.531km (3.44mi) |
| Turns | 15 (5 Left, 10 Right) |
| Lap Record | Casey Stoner (Ducati) 2007: 2:02.108 |
| 2008 Winner | Valentino Rossi (Yamaha) |
| TV Info (UK Only) | Practice: MotoGP - Eurosport 2: 6:50am GMTQualifying: MotoGP - BBC Red Button & Eurosport 2: 6:45am GMT
Race: MotoGP - BBC1: 6:45am GMT |
