race to the finish

When it comes to motor racing, March can only mean one thing – the start of the F1 Grand Prix season. Fasten your seatbelts for a blistering ride

WORDS STEWART BELL

Australia: The Green Light for 2008

Michael Schumacher wins the
2001 FORMULA 1 QANTAS
Australian Grand Prix at
Melbourne’s Albert Park circuit2007 was an explosive Formula One season – an espionage-tinged political landscape boiled off-circuit, while on-tarmac Kimi Räikkönen deservedly secured his maiden World Drivers’ Championship, after joining the ever-passionate Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro. 2007 was also undoubtedly the year of Briton Lewis Hamilton, the best-prepared rookie in the history of the sport.

2008 looks to be another stunning season and Hamilton is no less enthusiastic. “As soon as the chequered flag went in Brazil I began to count down the days until Australia,” he said. “I’m really looking forward to 2008. Together with the team, we will do everything we can to ensure that our championship challenge is as strong and focused as possible.”

Melbourne’s Albert Park is where it all begins. In 2008, the V8 Supercars return and the Grand Prix Celebrity Sports Challenge will feature AFL football legends Nathan Buckley and Luke Darcy, and rugby union great, Ben Tune. It’s the year Fernando Alonso returns to RenaultF1 and Giancarlo Fisichella moves to new team Force India. Melbourne is also the place for Formula One debuts, with 2008 the first full season for Nelson Piquet (son of the triple world champion) and Kazuki Nakajima (son of ex-driver Satoru Nakajima).

Malaysia: Feel the heat

Things are going to get hot at
this year’s Malaysian F1
Grand Prix Photo: Getty images

On your average day, Malaysia is a tropical paradise, but come 21–23 March, the country roars with energy when the Formula One races into town. With 2008 marking the 10th anniversary of the annual Selangor-based festival of speed, celebrations will be massive.

Forget Turkey, China and Bahrain, this is the original. Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit (SIC) was the first to be designed by Formula One’s eminent circuit architect Hermann Tilke and the race has been held here since 1999. Sepang is characterised by two virtually parallel one-kilometre straights connected by a tight hairpin, designed for maximum last-blast-to-get-past manoeuvres. The circuit then fans out on either side of these straights, featuring an ultra-wide tarmac and a flowing combination of corners that provide a technical challenge for drivers and an unrivalled wide-screen perspective for spectators.

On Malaysia’s 2007 podium
were Lewis Hamilton, Vodafone
McLaren Mercedes; Fernando
Alonso, Vodafone McLaren
Mercedes; and Kimi Raikkonen,
Scuderia Ferrari MarlboroWith three wins and five pole positions, Michael Schumacher clearly made his mark on the Malaysian circuit before his retirement in 2006 – however, six winners have taken the top step of the podium. It begs the question: how will 2007’s super-rookie Lewis Hamilton fare in the 2008 event and will Australia’s Mark Webber move up the grid?

Sepang is also known as the hottest Grand Prix of the year. Keeping cool is paramount to car, driver and race fan. For this reason, the dual-straight grandstands sit almost back-to-back covered by huge hibiscus-inspired canopies.

For the tenth edition of the Formula One Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix in 2008, a host of events have been lined up by the SIC. Best of all are the savings being offered on tickets, such as buy one tower ticket at the normal price of RM950 (AU$330) and you can buy another tower ticket for RM10 (AU$4).

Singapore: Formula One Illumination

The Singapore Flyer will offer
passengers a birds-eye view of
the F1 action as it zips by Without a doubt the most exciting development in the Formula One world for many years – if not decades – is the creation of the first night race through the streets of Singapore, set to take place on Sunday 28th September 2008.

Italy-based Valerio Maioli is designing and constructing the lighting system for the race. Two lighting tests have already been conducted in France to study the system under real racing conditions.

Under the proposed system, the entire track will be fitted with nearly 1,500 lighting projectors, powered by 12 twin-power generators. An average of about 3000lux levels is required to illuminate the circuit, so as to meet high-definition television broadcast standards. As a result, the track will be almost four times brighter than a typical stadium.

The cars are likely to reach a maximum speed in excess of 300km/h along Raffles Boulevard, where there is a prime overtaking opportunity, before braking hard through turns seven and eight and speeding past the civic district’s historic landmarks. Turn 14 will undoubtedly see some of the most exciting action as the cars zip across the 97-year-old Anderson Bridge and brake to an expected minimum corner speed of 80km/h.

For all your travel choices, go to www.jetstar.com

EXCLUSIVE MARK WEBBER INTERVIEW

Australia’s Formula One driver Mark Webber sat down with Stewart Bell to discuss the challenges of international motor racing.

You’re on the final year of your Red Bull Racing contract. Do you see your long-term future with them?
I’d certainly like the opportunity to remain with Red Bull Racing beyond this year as I think it’s easily one of the best teams in Formula One and has an exciting future ahead of it.

With 2007 having been the year of the super-rookie Lewis Hamilton, how do you face-off the challenge from these new guys? What do new F1 drivers lack most when they enter the sport?
I’ve always been a big fan of young guys getting their break into Formula One as it’s good to have new blood in the sport. I think the biggest challenge for youngsters is not the on-track stuff, as they’ve generally come up through the ranks and are more than capable of racing, but dealing with the off-track activitiessuch as the media, sponsors, living your life in the spotlight, and trying to keep your feet on the ground to maintain as normal a lifestyle as possible.

What is your advice for young drivers aspiring to Formula One?
Be realistic about the goals you set and follow your gut instincts. Be careful about who you trust.

Where do you see the team in 2008?
I’m very positive about the year ahead, the main reason being the continuity we’ve had over the European winter break. I believe this will stand us in good stead for a great start to the season.

START YOUR ENGINES

• Round 1: Australia
  13–16 March 2008 www.grandprix.com.au
• Round 2: Malaysia
  21–23 March 2008 www.malaysiangp.com.my
• Round 15: Singapore
  26–28 September 2008 www.singaporegp.sg