Sepang International Circuit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Petronas Sepang International Circuit

Location	Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
Time zone	UTC+08:00
Coordinates	2°45′38″N 101°44′15″E / 2.76056°N 101.73750°E / 2.76056; 101.73750
Capacity	130,000
FIA Grade	1 (GP) 2 (North)
Broke ground	1 November 1997; 27 years ago (1997-11-01)
Opened	7 March 1999; 26 years ago (1999-03-07)
Architect	Hermann Tilke
Former names	Sepang International Circuit (March 1999–October 2023)
Major events	Current: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix (1999–2019, 2022–present) Asian Le Mans Series (2013–2020, 2023–present) GT World Challenge Asia (2017–2019, 2022–present) TCR Asia Series (2015–2019, 2024) Sepang 12 Hours (2000–2016, 2023–present) Asia Road Racing Championship (2003–2015, 2019–2020, 2022–present) Former: Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix (1999–2017) WTCR Race of Malaysia (2019) World SBK (2014–2016) FIM EWC (2019) Super GT (2002, 2004–2013)
Grand Prix Circuit (1999–present)
Length	5.543 km (3.445 mi)
Turns	15
Race lap record	1:34.080 ( Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari SF70H, 2017)
North Circuit (1999–present)
Length	2.706 km (1.681 mi)
Turns	9
South Circuit (1999–present)
Length	2.609 km (1.621 mi)
Turns	8

The Petronas Sepang International Circuit is a famous race track in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia. It's about 45 kilometers (28 miles) south of Kuala Lumpur, and very close to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. This circuit is well-known for hosting big motorsport events. It used to be the home of the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017. It also hosts the Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix and other exciting races. The circuit was originally called Sepang International Circuit, but in October 2023, Petronas bought the rights to add their name to the circuit for three years.

History of the Sepang Circuit

Sepang International Circuit grandstand, and its iconic umbrella shade.

A famous German designer named Hermann Tilke created the Sepang circuit. He has designed many other well-known race tracks around the world. The circuit was built between 1997 and 1999. This was part of a big plan by the Malaysian government at the time, led by Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, to build important new structures. The goal was to have a world-class track that could host the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The weather in Malaysia is very tropical and can change quickly. This means races at Sepang can go from very hot and sunny to heavy rainstorms in a short time!

Petronas sponsored the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix as the title sponsor since its inaugural race in 1999.

The circuit officially opened on March 7, 1999. Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad was there for the opening. Soon after, it hosted its first big races: the Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix in April 1999 and the first Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix in October 1999.

In 2011, a sad event happened during the MotoGP race. A motorcycle racer named Marco Simoncelli had a crash, and the race was stopped.

In 2016, the track was completely redone. The surface was replaced, and some corners were changed. This was done to make the racing more exciting and challenging for drivers. For example, the very last corner was raised to make drivers try different ways to go around it.

After 2017, the Sepang circuit no longer hosted the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix. This was because fewer people were buying tickets, and the cost to host the race had become very high.

Understanding the Track Layout

View from Mall Area, Main Grandstand North, Lower Tier.

The main circuit is 5.543 kilometers (3.445 miles) long. Drivers usually race on it in a clockwise direction. It's known for its fast, wide turns and long straight sections. The track has a unique design: a very long straight section at the back of the circuit is separated from the main pit straight by just one very tight hairpin turn.

Sepang also has other ways to use its track.

• The North Circuit is like the first half of the main track. It's 2.706 kilometers (1.681 miles) long and turns back towards the pit straight after turn 6.
• The South Circuit is the other half. The back straight of the main circuit becomes the pit straight for this layout. It's 2.609 kilometers (1.621 miles) long.

Besides the main racing tracks, Sepang International Circuit also has special areas for kart racing and motocross.

Different Track Shapes

A Lap in a Formula One Car

Lewis Hamilton during the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix.

Imagine you're in a Formula One car at Sepang!

The lap starts on a long straight section called the pit straight. This is where drivers can use a special system called DRS to go even faster. Drivers need to get a great exit from the last corner to build up as much speed as possible here.

• Turn 1 is a very long, slow corner. Drivers brake late and slowly lose speed as they go around it.
• Turn 2 is a tight left turn that goes downhill. The first two corners can be bumpy, making it tricky to control the car's power.
• Turn 3 is a fast right turn that leads into Turn 4, a sharp right-angle turn known as the Langkawi Curve.
• Turns 5 and 6 form a very fast chicane (a series of turns in opposite directions). This section is tough on tires and drivers because of the strong G-forces. It's called the Genting Curve.
• Turns 7 and 8 (the KLIA curve) are a long, medium-speed double right turn. A bump here can make the car lose balance.
• Turn 9 is a very slow left turn, similar to turn two but uphill. It's known as the Berjaya Tioman Corner.
• Turn 10 leads into a challenging, medium-speed right turn at Turn 11. Drivers have to brake and turn at the same time.
• Turn 12 is a fast, bumpy left turn that immediately leads into the fast right turn at Turn 13.
• Then comes the challenging 'Sunway Lagoon' curve at Turn 14. Like turn 11, it needs hard braking and steering at the same time.
• The long back straight is a good place for drivers to try to overtake. They brake hard into Turn 15, a left-hand hairpin. Drivers need to be careful not to be overtaken back as they head into turn 1 again!

Main Events at Sepang

Current Events

• March: Sepang 12 Hours, TCR Asia Endurance Series
• April: GT World Challenge Asia
• May: Lamborghini Super Trofeo Asia, TCR Asia Series
• June: TCR Asia Series
• August: Porsche Carrera Cup Asia, Thailand Super Series
• September: Asia Road Racing Championship, Australian Formula 4 Championship, Thailand Super Series
• November: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix, Asia Talent Cup, Sepang 1000 km
• December: Asian Le Mans Series 4 Hours of Sepang

Former Events

• Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix (1999–2017)
• A1 Grand Prix (2005–2008)
• World SBK (2014–2016)
• Super GT (2002, 2004–2013)
• World Touring Car Cup Race of Malaysia (2019)
• GP2 Series Sepang GP2 round (2012–2013, 2016)

Fastest Lap Records

The fastest official lap record for the Sepang International Circuit is 1 minute, 34.080 seconds. This was set by Sebastian Vettel in a Ferrari SF70H car during the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix. Here are some of the fastest official race lap records at Sepang:

Images for kids

• 

  Marco Simoncelli

See also

In Spanish: Circuito Internacional de Sepang para niños

• List of Formula One circuits
• List of sporting venues with a highest attendance of 100,000 or more