Hamilton Has Fond Memories Of Racing At Sepang, Despite The Heat

By Siti Radziah Hamzah

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- It may have been seven years ago, but British Formula One (F1) ace Sir Lewis Hamilton still has fond memories of racing in the extreme heat of the Malaysian Grand Prix (GP) at the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) here.

It was an experience the 39-year-old Mercedes-AMG Petronas driver described as "daunting and challenging”, but one that he used to relish.

“The races we used to have here (in Malaysia) were the most extreme because of the intense heat… and, on top of that, we had to race in the daytime,” he told Bernama in a recent interview.

Hamilton is right, of course. At Sepang, the temperature can go up to 32 degrees Celcius, with 70 per cent humidity. “It’s just (too) hot (for the drivers) and (too) hot on the tyres... just like at the (recently-concluded) Singapore GP.”

The British driving champion describes the F1 races on Southeast Asian tracks as “tough and physically demanding” due to the intense heat and humid weather.

Still recovering from borderline heatstroke after the Sept 22 Singapore GP, Hamilton named Sepang as the most extreme circuit heat-wise.

The seven-time world champion, who fell ill immediately after the Singapore race, was even excused from attending the obligatory media conference as Mercedes had requested a medical exemption for their drivers, including George Russell.

“It is always very very hot here,” Hamilton said in an interview during a stopover in Kuala Lumpur after the Singapore GP.

He revealed that he was constantly rehydrating after suffering from borderline heatstroke and that he "is very tired”.

"I love racing at Sepang, that track was incredible, it was a great circuit... (but) then Singapore is a really fun circuit,” he said.

At the Singapore GP, Russell came in fourth and Hamilton sixth. 

A week earlier, at the Azerbaijan GP in Baku, Russell finished third while Hamilton, who started in the race from the pit lane after Mercedes’ engine penalty, came in ninth.

The SIC was home to the Malaysian GP between 1999 and 2017 before it was dropped from the F1 calendar due mainly to rising costs.

In his last race at SIC in 2017, Hamilton came in second - just 12.77 seconds behind Red Bull's Mark Verstappen.

Elaborating on the hot and humid weather in the region, Hamilton said: “Singapore is very humid even though it's at night. It’s still very physically demanding (as), it's very bumpy and a very long track,” he said.

The Marina Bay street circuit is usually the most physically demanding of the F1 season.

This is because, like the other street circuits on the schedule, including Monaco, the shorter straights offer little respite and the track’s tight and twisty characteristics require drivers to be fully focused throughout the race.

Asked how he prepares for races in different cities and under different conditions and time zones, especially when they are held back-to-back, thus giving him very little time to adapt, he said: “You can’t be too heavy, also so you can’t eat too much. Then, there is the challenge of coping with the timing of your sleep due to different time zones.”

On his stint with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 team, whom he will leave after the remaining six races this year, Hamilton said the achievements both parties have enjoyed in the last 11 years have been remarkable.

Hamilton will leave Mercedes at the end of the 2024 season and join Ferrari in 2025. He signed for Mercedes at the end of 2012 to race for them in the 2013 season.

“Over the years it has been amazing (with Petronas) and we have grown together in a real positive way.

"I have been with them for quite a bit of time. I think I would just always wish the people within Petronas  health and positivity,” he said when speaking on the 50th anniversary of the Malaysian national oil corporation this year.

“I hope Petronas will continue to really push and drive for change. I think a company like this has the power to do that within Malaysia, particularly,” said Hamilton as he also lauded Petronas for providing opportunities for young kids in their education and careers, and even exposure to F1 races.

-- BERNAMA