KUALA LUMPUR – Seven-time Formula One (F1) world champion Lewis Hamilton said he misses racing in the iconic Sepang International Circuit (SIC), which has been absent from the race calendar since 2017.
Arriving in Malaysia today ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend, the British driver said he was filled with emotion as he passed the 5.543km racetrack.
“That track (SIC) was amazing to drive at. I arrived this morning and was in the car with Toto Wolff when we drove past the Sepang circuit,” Hamilton told a press conference today at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Ampang here this afternoon.
“We reminisced about the great times we used to have when we raced there.”
Elaborating on the track where he claimed his second podium finish in 2007, Hamilton said it would be a “fantastic” experience to hit SIC again with current F1 cars.
“It would be epic to drive there in the new cars, particularly in last year’s car.
“It has always been a special place for me because it was where I got my second podium finish in the second race of my F1 career,” the driver from Stevenage, England said.
Hamilton said the races in Malaysia were some of the toughest he physically endured, citing the hot climate that tested his body to its limits.
“During my first race here in 2007, I lost about 4kg when I crossed the finish line. I can remember how difficult it was just to get out of the car.
“Not to mention the emotions that I was going through, it being the second race of my F1 career, having to not make mistakes and bringing home points for the team. It was epic.
“I really am sad that we don’t use that track for F1 anymore.”
Earlier this month, SIC chief executive Azhan Shafriman Hanif said it would be unlikely for F1 to return to Malaysia anytime soon as the government was focusing on rebuilding the economy due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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However, he said the government may reconsider its options after two to three years.
The Sepang track first hosted an F1 race in 1999, and the last Grand Prix held in the circuit in 2017. The government had opted out of the race in 2018 due to the rising costs of hosting the event.
Hamilton, teammate George Russell, and Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team principal and chief executive officer Wolff were in town to announce a multi-year renewal of title and technical partnership between the team and Petronas from 2026 onwards.
The renewal extends the sport’s most successful title partnership, with 115 Grand Prix wins and eight constructors championships so far since 2010.
Wolff said the early announcement on the matter was made as teams have been notified about the 2026 F1 regulations.
“Today, we are doing something a little bit unusual, announcing a partnership that will begin in four years’ time.
“This is something we can be proud of and sends an important message – our team and Petronas are no longer just partners, we are family, and we will be one team for many more years to come,” Wolff said.
Meanwhile, Petronas president and group chief executive Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik Tengku Aziz said the company looks forward to charting the next chapter with a focus on advanced sustainable fuel for Mercedes and its customer teams.
“Together with our partners, Petronas will keep pushing the boundaries with our Fluid Technology Solutions through innovative offerings,” Tengku Muhammad said.
Hamilton, Russell, and Wolff will be heading across the causeway for the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend. Subsequently, they will head to Suzuka for the Japanese Grand Prix the week after.
Hamilton and Russell’s last visit to Malaysia was in April, when the drivers came to KL for the Petronas Welcome Home Programme. – The Vibes, September 28, 2022
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