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A1 Team Monaco has
set its sights on a top five finish this weekend at the Sepang International
Circuit in Malaysia, which plays host to round three of the 2008/9 A1GP World
Cup of Motorsport (22-23 November 2008).
The
internationally-acclaimed
Sepang International Circuit (SIC), located in Selangor, 60 kilometres (37
miles) south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, was
officially opened in 1999, the year in which it hosted the first Formula 1 Grand
Prix event in Southeast Asia.
Built in a natural stadium, all spectators can see
at least 50 per cent of the circuit regardless of where they sit, making the
A1GP race in Malaysia one of the best races to witness the new breed of A1GP
Powered by Ferrari cars first hand.
Hailed
as a benchmark in track design, the
Sepang circuit boasts superb pit garage and media facilities, as well as
impressive grandstands and patron amenities.
The
circuit was the first in a succession of state-of-the-art motor racing complexes
designed and realised by German engineer Hermann Tilke, whose name is now
synonymous with new international circuit conception and existing circuit
overhaul and re-design.
The
main circuit at Sepang, on which A1GP competes, is raced in a clockwise
direction. It is 5.54 kilometres (3.44 miles) long and is noted for its sweeping
corners (15 corners in total) and wide straights. The minimum track width is 16
metres making for plenty of overtaking opportunities. The layout is quite unusual, with a very
long back straight separated from the pit straight by just one very tight
hairpin. Other
configurations of the Sepang circuit can also be used, namely the shorter north
and south circuits, and the facility also includes a kart racing track and
motocross circuit.
The A1GP lap record at Sepang is 1m
49.221s, set by A1 Team Switzerland’s Neel Jani in November 2007.
Clivio Piccione,
Driver and Seat-Holder, A1 Team Monaco: “I am really
looking forward to this race, especially as the track is one of the
first on the calendar to show the real potential of the car we are driving.
There are a lot of high-speed corners and it will be great to experience
the car on an F1 track. The race will be physically demanding, with
the high down force and high temperatures, but I have had
the chance to arrive in Malaysia already and spend a full week
training, so I am acclimatised to the weather and time
difference already and feel tuned-up for the race meeting. I hope
that we can keep building on what the team has done so far and
that we have another good weekend."
Graham Taylor, Team
Principal, A1 Team Monaco: “Personally it
will feel a little strange returning to Sepang after being there with an F1 car
already this year. However, our visit this week allows the new A1GP Powered by
Ferrari car to stretch its legs on a proven F1 circuit. The performance and down
force of the car will give rise to intense competition throughout the weekend.
A1 Team Monaco is looking forward to taking the next step in its evolution and
we are on course following our point-scoring rounds at Zandvoort and Chengdu.
The climate in Malaysia can give rise to changeable weather situations, but
given that we have been competitive in both dry and wet circumstances, we are
hoping for another strong weekend.”
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