Lewis Hamilton has defined why he believes Method 1 is correct to return to the Sepang Worldwide Circuit, pointing to the standard of racing the observe produces, the “massively bodily demanding” nature of the local weather — and his personal affection for Kuala Lumpur.
The seven-time F1 drivers’ champion spoke glowingly in regards to the championship’s sudden return after nearly a decade away, forward of this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Hamilton has an extended historical past with the nation’s capital metropolis, having beforehand raced there with McLaren after which Mercedes, with the German group’s title sponsor being Petronas, an organization headquartered in Kuala Lumpur.
“I all the time love going to KL [Kuala Lumpur],” the Ferrari driver advised media, together with RacingNews365. “Had a lot of nice experiences there with my earlier group, and the observe is superior. It’s a circuit that does give good racing.”
Hamilton mentioned the calibre of racing on supply must be central to any resolution over which circuits stay on the calendar.
“And with regards to deciding what tracks to undergo within the 12 months, that must be part of the decision-making,” he added.
“We would like good races for followers, not ones that you do not see any overtaking in, so I very a lot welcome it.”
Bodily calls for forward
Hamilton received the Malaysian Grand Prix for Mercedes in 2014, however Sepang has not all the time been sort to him.
Two years later, he arrived on pole place solely to retire with an engine failure whereas main, a blow that handed Nico Rosberg a championship benefit he wouldn’t relinquish, with Hamilton’s Mercedes team-mate happening to clinch that 12 months’s title.
Nonetheless, Hamilton is relishing a return. He additionally flagged the brutal circumstances drivers face at Sepang, the place daytime temperatures usually climb effectively previous 30 levels Celsius with humidity above 80 per cent, sapping the physique’s capability to chill itself contained in the cockpit.
As a result of depth of the setting, drivers can lose upwards of 4 kilograms of physique weight throughout the 56-lap race.
“I am wanting ahead to it,” the 106-time grand prix winner mentioned.
“It is a tremendous sizzling circuit; it will be one which’s bodily massively demanding, so I stay up for that problem.”
