F1 GP Malaysia - Part 4

Please click here to view photos by courtesy of Shukri taken at F1 GP race in Sepang F1 Circuit from 3-5 April 2009.
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Please click here (or Photo Album on the left sidebar of this blogsite) to access Shurki's photo albums..
Click here for previous postings on F1 GP at Sepang F1 Circuit (Scroll down the pages).
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Shukri in Action

Clear wordings with bluring of wheel in motion

Another suprb shots extracted from Shukri's photo album

3 Days at F1 Sepang Circuit

The Formula One race hosted at Sepang F1 Circuit in Malaysia was finally over last week amid a dramatic end marred by lashing of the torrential rainstorm. Congratulations to the organizer, the support crew, the volunteers for successfully staged this world-class event. Jason Lee, Shukri and I were there for three consecutive days from 3 to 5 April to support the event.

Other than the good points, let me highlight a few of my observations, possibly that require improvement by the organizer.
The Weather – According to Chinese, April 4 is Cheng Beng day (All Souls’ Day where the descendants pay respect to their ancestors at the cemetery) where there is heavy rainfall. If the race were to start at 3:00 p.m., raining at 6:00 p.m. would not be an issue as the race would have completed by 5:00 p.m. Unfortunately, it was scheduled to start later to adjust the timing for the European TV broadcasting but collided head-on with the rainstorm. I was told by one photographer that a bomoh (shaman in Malaysia) is usually engaged to divert the rain, and to ensure that the rain would not come when the race was in progress. So with the heavy rain twice a day on that eventful F1 GP final on Sunday, maybe he was overpowered.
Note: Today (Sunday 12 April), it also started to rain heavily at around 6:00 p.m..

Car parking – The standard car park costing RM 50 is an earth-based hill with undulating terrain. Due to the constant soil erosion, it was a bumpy ride in this car park with earth crust hitting the undercarriage of the car. Car owners who came in late just double parked their cars near the entrance that made the situation worst. On the way out after the race, the exit was a small one-lane exit causing much waiting and anxiety to get out of the car park.

Checking the bags containing photographic equipment - Shukri and Jason Lee

Checking of bags – For security reasons, all bags are requested to be opened and inspected. The officers-in-charged were readily confiscating all food and drinks. A friend of mine speculated that with the drinks, a spectator may throw the water bottles onto the track thereby injuring the drivers of F1 cars.

Confiscated items

Food and drinks – Since all food and drinks are barred from entry into the Sepang F1 Circuit, spectators were forced to buy food and drinks from the stalls operated in the Grand Stand. Of course, if one has strong stomach, he/she can try drinking the tap water from toilet. The lunch pack cost RM 25 each and all stalls sold the same kind of food – to certain extend, there was monopoly business at certain higher level of food distribution.

Choice A: Hot dog, a can of soft drink, a small packet of potato chips and a small package of biscuit. Choice B: nine sticks of satay, a little kuah (source), similar drink as in Package A, a small packet of biscuit (no potato chips). So for three days of lunch, I spent RM 75 for the terrible food. The satay was hard to swallow (not that I have to paid RM 25) as they were quite hard.


F1 Merchandise – This one really amazed me: a T-shirt cost RM 190; a cap, RM 170; an umbrella, RM 220 !!!! But I see a lot of people buying also. At Sepang F1 Circuit, everyone is affordable; after all, the cheapest ticket is around RM 500.


Leaking roof – This is a sheer sign of lack of proper maintenance. When it rained, the roof started to leak. Leaking did not discriminate anyone – the expansive ticket holders (thousand plus Ringgit) could be affected also.

Traffic control – When the event was over, getting out of the car park and into the opposite side of the main road for homeward bound was truly a headache. It took much time to exit the car park; then the cars were diverted to the LCCT (Air Asia terminal) round-about which was about 10 km further away, and later joined the traffic jam again to the Salak Tingi round-about – same main entry, same exit concept. Hope the authority could open up another main exit.


Sea breeze - At around 1pm, there was no race for about one hour (lunch time). Sitting there enjoying the peace (without the roar of the machine), the sunny weather and the breeze, Shurki said, "It was like at the seaside with the breeze (minus the wave)."

Despite the shortcomings, we shall still go back to Sepang F1 Circuit to witness the next exciting motor or car racing. Meantime, will the authority strategize to improve the shortcomings? Or just wait for the next event to happen at Sepang F1 Circuit again.

Written by KC