Have all the important information for this weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix at your fingertips with the F1 Fanatic race programme:
The race weekend
2011 Malaysian Grand Prix preview – Sepang will show just how far ahead Red Bull really are
2011 Malaysian Grand Prix – race weekend information
Championship points – full standings ahead of this weekend’s race
Driver changes for first practice
Daniel Ricciardo will drive for Toro Rosso in place of Sebastien Buemi.
Davide Valsecchi will drive for Lotus in place of Heikki Kovalainen.
Nico Hulkenberg will drive for Force India in place of Paul di Resta.
Stewards
The ex-driver on the stewards’ panel this weekend is Emanuele Pirro. He joins FIA World Motor Sport Council member Garry Connelly an Venezuela’s automobile club president Vincenzo Spano.
The track
Williams circuit preview video:
First used in 1999, the Sepang International Circuit is one of the better modern venues.
It features two long straights which invite overtaking, and some challenging high-speed bends. Over a decade of use has given the surface texture and bumps which threaten to unsettle the cars at inopportune moments.
The run to the first corner is 460m, compared to 200m in Melbourne, making Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems a more useful advantage at the start.
For more information on Sepang see here:
The weather
The local climate is very hot and humid, creating a demanding environment for cars and drivers.
Late afternoon and early evening thunderstorms are a regular occurrence, and forced an early end to the 2009 race which had started at a later than usual time.
Here’s the weather forecast for the Malaysian Grand Prix. Updated forecasts will be available during all F1 Fanatic Live sessions:
Following the race live
F1 Fanatic Live will be open for your comments during every session.
Join us for every lap of the race, qualifying and practice at these times:
Friday 8th April 2011
Malaysian Grand Prix Free Practice 1: 10:00-11:30 (UK time: 3:00-4:30)
Malaysian Grand Prix Free Practice 2: 14:00-15:30 (UK time: 7:00-8:30)
Saturday 9th April 2011
Malaysian Grand Prix Free Practice 3: 13:00-14:00 (UK time: 6:00-7:00)
Malaysian Grand Prix Qualifying: 16:00 (UK time: 9:00)
Sunday 10th April 2011
Malaysian Grand Prix: 16:00 (UK time: 9:00)
More session times and live coverage details here:
Also make sure you follow us on Twitter for updates throughout the race weekend:
- Follow F1 Fanatic on Twitter for news, comment and more
- Follow F1 Fanatic Live for updates during every session
- Follow F1 Fanatic Update so you never miss an article
2010 Malaysian Grand Prix highlights
Mark Webber took pole position by gambling on a switch to intermediate tyres in a wet session.
But he was beaten to the first corner by Sebastian Vettel, who went on to win the race.
It was an exercise in damage limitation for Ferrari and McLaren, who were caught out by the rain in qualifying and started near the back of the grid.
Previous Malaysian Grands Prix
2009 Malaysian Grand Prix: Button wins again but rain stops play at Sepang
2008 Malaysian Grand Prix: Raikkonen routs the opposition
2007 Malaysian Grand Prix: Alonso wins for McLaren
2006 Malaysian Grand Prix: Fisichella leads Renault one-two
2005 Malaysian Grand Prix: Alonso dominated at Sepang
2001 Malaysian Grand Prix: Downpour fails to stop Schumacher
1999 Malaysian Grand Prix: Controversy as Ferrari score one-two
Join in the 2011 F1 Fanatic Predictions Championship
There’s F1 races tickets, DVDs and more to be won. Play for free by guessing the top five in this weekend’s race:
2011 Malaysian Grand Prix
Browse all 2011 Malaysian Grand Prix articles
Image design by PJ Tierney
US_Peter (@us_peter)
7th April 2011, 7:54
Not as impressed with the Williams preview as the previews Red Bull did last year. I guess they’re not doing those again this year?
RIISE (@riise)
7th April 2011, 8:33
Yup, nothing can beat the top notch CGI and the content in the Red Bull’s videos. You’d think Williams would make a bit more of an effort.
Hare
7th April 2011, 8:47
Williams are selling soft drinks? :) That’s all I’ve got on that line of thought
Sush Meerkat
7th April 2011, 10:57
Cracking idea Hare, Williams to market and sell Carbonated Castrol Oil.
“High Octane Nightmare Fuel, for the true petrol head!.”
http://www.health-matrix.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/oil_drink.jpg
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner)
7th April 2011, 8:18
I was hoping for another RBR track preview. It’s probably on YouTube or the RBR website anyway? I’ll give the Williams one a go later.
Hare
7th April 2011, 8:49
Pastor ‘car in front’ Maldonado…
Hare
7th April 2011, 8:50
Perhaps Pastor ‘Sugar’ Maldonado is more appropriate :)
BasCB (@bascb)
7th April 2011, 10:39
LOL
mildertduck
7th April 2011, 10:15
I’m not liking the DRS choice for this one. Detection at the end of the first straight, for use on the second. Wouldn’t it have been possible to do a DRS detection mid-turn 15 for use on the back-straight, and then one in the middle of the last corner for use on the front-straight? That way we could have cars slipstreaming down one straight, passing into the hairpin, then changing order, and slipstreaming down the main straight. As it is, there’s a chance of having cars side-by-side in the detection point as they try to outbreak each other for the hairpin…
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
7th April 2011, 10:47
Comment from Jonathan moved here
RIISE (@riise)
7th April 2011, 11:12
I’m liking the bar across above the articles. Very nice touch.
box this lap (@sebashuis)
7th April 2011, 11:29
and we’re starting the weekend with Petrov as one of the championship contenders! great!!
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
7th April 2011, 16:11
US TV schedule:
practice 1: 10 pm eastern, thursday, speedtv.com
practice 2: 2 am eastern, friday, speed
practice 3: 1 am eastern, saturday, speedtv.com
qualifying: 4 am eastern, saturday, speed
race: 3:30 am eastern, sunday, speed
crikey! let’s get it over with
Merk
7th April 2011, 16:35
The live stream from Speedtv.com is amazing. Just Sights and Sounds. Closest you’ll ever come to actually feeling like you’re at the practice. I just hope the internet traffic doesn’t time it out again.
F1Yankee (@f1yankee)
7th April 2011, 16:52
i really enjoyed it, too. every time i’ve seen car race footage without commentators, i’ve really felt immersed in it. i’d like the option of watching qual/race like that, but then i’d still be bombarded with ads.