EXCLUSIVE: First drive on renovated Sepang track with Malaysian GP2 racing driver Nabil Jeffri

After undergoing renovations and resurfacing since February 15, the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) was re-opened to the public on a trackday last weekend. At the invitation of Nabil Jeffri, who is competing in the GP2 series this year, we took a ride with him to find out what changes have been made to the track, and how it affects the racing line.

Riding in Hafriz Shah’s Peugeot 208 GTi, Nabil took the driver’s seat, while we sat shotgun. Lining up at the pit exit, we had a short discussion about the changes to the track. At the release, Nabil immediately stormed into turn one, and the normal entry was used.

Out of force of habit, both of us were expecting the drop-off at turn two, the execution of which was essential to getting a good time going uphill in turns three and four. To our surprise, the drop-off was no longer there, and it was now almost possible to see through the entirety of turn two.

This would mean that a driver could, after getting the entry from a flying lap into turn one correct, would have the opportunity to over-take right on the entry of two. The lack of drop-off would also be easier on the suspension, without the car having to deal with a very sudden weight transfer.

While turns three and four remain unchanged, rewarding cars and bikes with power to spare, and brakes to match, turn five now sees the slight camber at the mid-to-exit of the turn gone. Skilled drivers and riders previously would use the slight camber to “flick” their vehicle back into the turn on the run-off from the entry, but this option is no longer available.

As Nabil took turn five, it came as a a bit of a shock to find the car hitting the curb, the rumble strips jostling the little Peugeot about and threatening to throw us into the run-off area. Bringing the car back into line and charging in for turn six, Nabil said, “ok, I wasn’t expecting that.”

Picking up speed from six, we took the “bus-stop” turns seven and eight in the normal fashion, and sling-shotted through for the downhill leading to turn nine. Which had apparently gone on permanent vacation.

Turn nine at Sepang has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the most difficult turns on the circuit to get right, with its steep downhill entry, uphill left turn, and blind apex. Most notably the nemesis of motorcycle racers, with an evil reputation for lowsides, car drivers also find nine a hard corner to get right.

With the disappearance of the downhill approach, the corner has now become easier to enter, and although the lack of run-off means overtaking might not be possible unless you want to be be next Maldonado, it allows slightly more corner speed coming through, and setting up for a good overtake on turn 10 under brakes.

The penultimate sequence of corners, eleven, twelve, thirteen and fourteen, remain unchanged. The newly resurfaced track, of course, means the ripples in twelve and thirteen are now gone, but should return after a few seasons of racing. Turn fourteen, as always, is a good place to show off for the crowds in the grandstand.

Coming down the back straight towards turn fifteen, the 208 was now pushing about 190 km/h. Coming in to turn fifteen, the biggest change to Sepang was now in view, an off-camber hairpin. With the camber starting at about the apex, and following on through the corner, a fast, skilled driver will be able to use the corner for some “on-the-edge” overtaking, something that will be a crowd-pleaser.

Taking the slow line through fifteen will mean both losing speed, and losing time, but would be the logical option late in the race when tyre-life needs to be conserved. According to Nabil, he feels that the changes made to Sepang will possibly make it a faster track, with a corresponding drop in lap times for cars, and a couple more places where over-taking can be executed safely, and at higher speed.

Track photos courtesy of Ronald Chan.

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