Tourism Malaysia have always been gracious. I had the privilege of attending the 2012 and 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix and was awed by the amazing hospitality shown to me in 2013.

This year too Tourism Malaysia invited me to their event held at SMAAASH Mumbai which was aimed at promoting not just the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix held at Sepang but also Malaysia as a tourist destination, a destination worth visiting more than just once.

The event was held on 26th February 2015 with a Go-Karting Contest aptly named "Race to Sepang".

Shots of the Track :

I have been a regular here and its always been fun driving on this challenging but narrow track!

Shots from the Event :

Ma'am Sharmila ( Representing the Sepang International Circuit ) welcoming us and sharing the variety of value offerings at Sepang International Circuit.

Statistics and Spectator Turnout from previous events held at the Sepang International Circuit ( F1, MotoGP, SBK and their likes )

The Regional Tours undertaken by Tourism Malaysia for the promotion of the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix

The Director of Tourism Malaysia - Mr. Manoharan welcoming us to the event and sharing the beauty of Malaysia as a destination and the importance of an Indian Audience to the various events held at the Sepang International Circuit.

The Winners of the Contest. I was beaten by 0.5 seconds to the Fastest time of the Day. The Team ( consisting of 6 Randomly chosen drivers ) with the best average time over a 3 minute session were chosen to travel to Malaysian for the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix.

In all my travels I must admit that Tourism Malaysia has been proactive and involved  in generating an interest for Formula 1 in India and inviting fans to Malaysia to experience both the Malaysian Hospitality and the Race held at Sepang.

Sepang as a circuit has produced some amazing races in F1 and I am sure that 2015 would not fail to disappoint.

I missed the opportunity to be at the 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix but if offered a chance again, I would join the contingent without any hesitation.

Malaysia - Truly the Face of Asian Hospitality!

Surprises come in many packages and I have been at the received end of some in the recent past.

God Blessed me with some great experiences in the past year and I have had the opportunity to write about them.

2013 started off with a bang and the 2012 fairytale still continues.

Tourism Malaysia ( India ) have always been gracious in offering great prizes. They have maintained this trend whenever the Formula 1 Grand Prix has come to Sepang International Circuit and this year was no different.

A hard but fair battle was fought and there was a winner at the end of the day and Thank God I was the fortunate one, albeit by the skin of my teeth!!

Tourism Malaysia would award me an all expenses paid trip to Malaysia to enjoy the Malaysian Grand Prix!!!

It was time to pack my bags and embark on the journey!!

I flew out on 22nd March 2013 and arrived in Kuala Lumpur Late Evening.

Tourism Malaysia had offered me a fantastic hotel in KL Sentral ( the Hub in Kuala Lumpur ). The Hotel inauguration was on the same day.

A Starwood Property, The Aloft is the new 5 Star in the Heart of KL!!

The Hotel was gracious enough to offer me an upgrade too as I am an SPG Gold member!

The Room was a spacious one and had a fresh feel to it. Some of the shots of my room :

The View from My Room :

Some views from the Passageway :

23rd March 2013 :

The Excitement couldn't be contained. A quick breakfast and I was on my way to the Sepang International Circuit to the see the Saturday Practice and Qualifying for the Race.

En Route to Sepang :

Malaysia Leaves No Stone Unturned in Welcoming Racing Fans!!

The Tourism Malaysia Pavilion at the Circuit!

The Circuit is very close to KLIA and temperatures easily touch the Mid 40s

After a Tiring but Exciting Day at Sepang, it was time to return to the Hotel

( For More on the Saturday action visit : http://tech-know-crat.posthaven.com/malaysian-gp-2013-vettel-defies-mutli-21 )

However before I made my way back to the Hotel, I had the opportunity to test my racing skills at an International Karting Circuit at Sepang and believe me I was unwilling to leave the place!! I kept racing for almost an hour and thoroughly enjoyed every moment.

It was a long drive back and after a nice refreshing shower, I made my way down to the Coffee Shop for an elegant meal laid out. I also had the opportunity of meeting representatives of Tourism Malaysia!!

I had some time to explore and burn some calories after the meal. The Aloft is known as a party hotel. It envisages the vision of the W Group of Hotels and one can see the evidence of the same!

The Hotel Facade :

The Re:Mix Lounge :

The Hotel Reception & Business Centre :

The WXYZ Bar :

24th March 2013, THE BIG DAY!!

Post Breakfast, I joined the group consisting of executives invited by Tourism Malaysia and we made our way down to Sepang for the Race!

A Moment with the Director of Tourism Malaysia!! A Very Gracious and Kind Man. Thank you Sir for all the Hospitality!!

It was now time to prepare for the Racing Extravaganza!!

( To Read all about the Sunday action visit : http://tech-know-crat.posthaven.com/malaysian-gp-2013-vettel-defies-mutli-21 )

An Exciting day at the Circuit! Thank you Sepang International Circuit for such a memorable race!!

25th March 2013

I chose to spend my final day shopping at my favourite SURIA KLCC Mall!

Enroute to Suria KLCC :

It was time to drive back to the Airport and return home... 

At the Airport ( KLIA ) :

Sitting in the Lounge, I awaited my flight for Mumbai :

Bye Bye Malaysia ! Thank you so much for all the Hospitality !!

Malaysia = Truly Asia !!

I would like to thank Tourism Malaysia ( India ) for this amazing experience. I shall cherish it. A Big Thank you to the Aloft at KL Sentral for all the Hospitality and maintaining the Quality that Starwood has been renowned for !

A Big Thank you to Mr. Amit Tripathi of Beehive Communication for all the co-operation shown in making my trip preparations a breeze.

Thank you so much Tourism Malaysia!! Hopefully I shall return for the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2014!!!

Tourism Malaysia have always been gracious and they simply move up a gear when the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix draws near.

Every Year, Tourism Malaysia offer Racing Fans Free Tickets to witness the action unfold at the Sepang International Circuit. I was a beneficiary last year and a bigger surprise was in store for me this year.

Tourism Malaysia India hosted a game where a Fan had to answer questions as the car moved around the track. The quicker you answered, better the lap time.

The Grand Prize? An All-Expenses-Paid Trip to witness the Malaysian Grand Prix. The effort paid off as I emerged the winner.

Thanks to Tourism Malaysia, I was at Sepang again. Hope you enjoy the photos from the weekend!

Sepang!

Welcome to Sepang International Circuit!

The Stunning Mercedes Petronas AMG Formula 1 Car!!

I reached the Stand. It was the K1 Grandstand with Fantastic Views of the Start Finish Line, First Couple of Turns and Parts of the Other Sectors too.

View from the K1 Grandstand :

The Start of Saturday Practice saw the teams take a cautious approach into the session.

Finally The Drivers started their Qualifying Simulations



Kimi Raikkonen, Full Focus into First Turn :



Others Follow Suit :



The Two Sister Red Bulls switch roles :



Feeling the Force of a Force India :



The Ferraris were late entrants but everyone knows the Threat they pose to the Front-Runners.



First Turn is very demanding on all cars. Its an acute turn and one can suffer heavy lock-ups if a car has too much speed into the corner.



The Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen looks absolutely stunning :



Some more shots of the Prancing Horse :



The Sauber of Hulkenberg, the German's First race after problems in the first race.


With the Race Simulations done & the sun out, , the Teams switched to the Softer of the Harder Compounds
The Toro Rosso and Williams in Tandem :


Where is Romain Grosjean looking?



Lewis Hamilton negotiating the First Turn



The Practice session ended and it was time for the V8 Supercars to take centrestage :



It was now time for Qualifying!!!

Shots from Q1 :



The Teams all opted for the Hard Tyre. Some Teams however switched to the Medium Hard option fearing elimination at the end of Q1.


The Times came down quickly, the gap between the two tyres a sizable 1.5 seconds. The Bigger teams too were pushed into using the Option compound in Q1 itself.



Q1 ended and the predicted guys were eliminated.




Q2 Began and all teams went out on Option Tyres, some teams opted for a 2 run strategy with scrubbed options for the First Stint.



Mark Webber too came out early for Red Bull Racing to set a marker :


Vettel too followed suit :



Lewis Hamilton suffered a major Lock-up into Turn 1 with Fernando Alonso breathing down his neck :


Massa made a late entry into the session :



Q2 ended and the Top 10 now prepared for a final Shootout!


There was a big surprise on the way though!! Malaysia is known for drastic weather changes and the clouds that threatened finally caused the deluge over the circuit in the break.

It was a short shower but certain parts of the track were wet enough for Teams to opt for Intermediate Tyres.



Sebastien Vettel vs Fernando Alonso!




Fernando Alonso starts his Flying Lap :


Nico Rosberg flying in Sector 2 :



Kimi Raikkonen dives into the pits for a new set of Intermediates while Lewis Hamilton sets a time :


Kimi starts his final Qualifying Run :



Mark Webber and Sebastien Vettel too went on their final runs :


Sebastien Vettel, Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso were the top 3 starters for the Race!



SUNDAY RACEDAY!!

The Big Day had arrived. It was a great way to start the proceedings by bumping into Kimi Raikkonen Fans!!


The Rain Clouds gathering in the Horizon... Could this be a Wet Race??



The Grid Preparations begin!!



Safety Car carries out a Track Check :


The Rain came in sooner than we thought and like last year it was time to bring out the Gazebos for the Teams


The Drivers leave the pitlane on their outlap, Intermediate tyres for everyone. The Rain in Q3 ensured Free Tyre Choice for Everyone.


Charles Pic sampled the Wet Tyre too but the Track wasn't so wet and everyone stuck to Intermediates.



The Grandstands were packed to the Rafters as the Start Neared..


The Safety Car did a final track check, the final preparations were done and it was now time for the Warm-up Lap!


The Start of the Warm Up Lap while the team engineers rush back to their garages!



The Five Red Lights Illuminate and the Race is a GO!!!


There was a collision between Alonso and Vettel into the First Turn which damaged the Former's Front Wing. The Spaniard managed to defend his 2nd place against Webber ( who had a fabulous start ) and opted not to pit to change the Front Wing.

The Decision was disastrous as the Front Wing Dislodged and got stuck under the car. Alonso was a mere passenger as his Ferrari beached itself into the Gravel near the First turn ( Right in front of our stand )



The Track dried up quickly enough and the Teams were quick to switch back to dry tyres. Drivers chose different strategies. Vettel switched to the Mediums ( Option ) while Webber opted for the Hard Tyre ( Prime ).


Hulkenberg battles it out with Button



Sergio Perez is passed by Grosjean with the aid of DRS and then has to fend off Kimi Raikkonen.



Maldonado had two Front wing changes ( one in his Outlap and one in the start of the race ). The Venezuelan was now carving his way up the field.



Perez makes his car as wide as possible to prevent Kimi Raikkonen from an overtake



The Force India Team Mates too had a duel


There was racing happening throughout the field which was great for Fans


Hulkenberg watching his mirrors as he sees the Ferrari of Massa and the Lotuses of Grosjean and Raikkonen close in.




Kimi was having a tough weekend but he kept at it.


Grosjean though was having a better weekend. He is seen here reeling Massa in.


Vettel was being closed in on by Hamilton and it seemed that the Mercedes  Petronas AMG Team might just get more than just a podium but unfortunately Lewis was asked to conserve fuel and his challenge fizzled out.


Vettel was now allowed to push and the lead that Mark Webber had was slowly being cut down. Mark Webber meanwhile was told to switch to Multi - 21, a code used in the Red Bull team which signifies reducing the engine power, maintaining positions and coasting to the finish line.


Hulkenberg meanwhile was still flanked by the Lotuses



Pastor Maldonado's Miserable day came to an end when he Beached his Williams into the Gravel


The Red Bull pair completed their Pit Stops and Webber was just able to hold on to his lead against Vettel. ( Lap 44 ).
The two battled over the next two laps, including a very close call on the front straight, after which Vettel took the lead from his teammate. Red Bull team principal Christian Horner earlier came on the radio to say, "This is silly Seb(astian). Come on."
The Team tried to notify Vettel that they wanted both to keep their current positions. However Vettel chose otherwise and the repercussions were disastrous.


Hamilton's fuel conserving drive caused him to fall into the grasp of his teammate Nico Rosberg. Nico requested the team to let him pass his teammate as he felt he could challenge the Red Bulls. However Team Principal Ross Brawn denied him his wish and both were asked to maintain their positions.


Sebastien Vettel took the Chequered Flag and Victory at the 2013 Malaysian GP. Mark Webber and Lewis Hamilton completed the Podium. Nico Rosberg felt he was robbed of a podium and hoped that the team would return the favour one day.

Trouble brewed between the Red Bull Team-mates as Webber took digs at Vettel in the Podium Interview and gave him the snub later. Unfortunately it seems an end to a mercurial relation between the team-mates.



A Big Thumbs-up!!


The Fans had a memorable day but the race would also be remembered for its Controversial incidents...


Malaysia had done a fabulous job again of Hosting the Grand Prix!!! Well done Malaysia!!



I would like to thank Tourism Malaysia again for this memorable experience. I absolutely loved it and will be back next year too.

I shall be writing again about this trip. So watch this space!!!

The Malaysian Grand Prix was a fantastic experience for me! I had hoped to meet and greet my favourite driver Kimi Raikkonen during the Driver Autograph Session.

Unfortunately the dream remained a dream but I did manage to get some photos of other drivers.

Thank you TOURISM MALAYSIA for the experience. I shall cherish this always

Malaysia has been so good to me and I have no words to express how thankful I am to TOURISM MALAYSIA for the 2 day race tickets. I never thought I would bump into so many accomplished people on this short trip.

It was only a 3 day trip but I will cherish every minute of it!

Day 1 : 24th March 2012

I reached my Hotel Mandarin Oriental around 9 in the morning and was simply awed by the location. Right next to the Petronas Towers and the Designer Laden Suria KLCC, I knew I had booked the Right place!

I entered the Lobby and couldn't believe what I saw! This hotel was packed with Formula 1 teams, FIA Members and even Footballers!

I first met the Legendary Sir Jackie Stewart!! The Triple World Champion also called the Flying Scotsman was very kind and I had the privilege of getting a photograph with him!

My Wait to be checked into my room turned out to be a Blessing in Disguise!

Michel Salgado was the next Celebrity I met! The Ex-Real Madrid and Spanish Defender had recently visited India for a Blackburn Rovers event ( His current club ) and we had a healty conversation.

I then met a Fellow Manchester United Supporters Mr. & Mrs. Wong  and we couldn't stop talking about the club we loved! We shared experiences and opinions about the club and more importantly talked about Formula 1.  

The Hotel Room was lavish! Mandarin Oriental is the best Hotel there. My room overlooked the Petronas Towers and the KLCC Mall which has Solar Energy for majority of its Energy needs.

I spent the rest of the day at Sepang watching the Saturday Practice and the Qualifying. I did a quick tour of the KLCC Mall when I returned and Met Fabio Cannavaro!!

This was followed by a sumptuous dinner at Lai Po Heen, the Award winning Chinese Restaurant of Mandarin Oriental. I ended the day with a recce of the rest of the hotel and more importantly.. its Cake Shop!

 

Day 2 : 25th March 2012 - RACEDAY :

Post Breakfast I made my way to the lobby and many celebrities were waiting for their rides to the circuit. Fernando Morientes was the next to oblige me with a Photo! I wished the Spaniard the best and my jaw dropped when I reached the Hotel Driveway.

Ferraris, Maserati, Porsches dominated the driveway. I couldn't stop gazing at them!

After Attending a Fantastic Grand Prix I Spent my evening at Mosaic the Coffee Shop of Mandarin Oriental and got a picture with Johnny Herbert ( Ex F1 Driver, Sky - Sports Co-presenter, Herbie Blash - FIA Deputy Race Director Charlie Whiting - FIA  Race Director!!

Day 3: 26th March 2012 :

I spent the morning exploring the Mall and had High Tea at the Lounge on the Park ( Courtesy AMEX Platinum Services ) before checking out of the Hotel.

It was a great trip. Never Expected to meet so many celebrities as Formula 1 teams prefer staying near the circuit and this hotel was an hour's drive away.

I must say Mandarin Oriental is the Best Property in Kuala Lumpur!  

A Big Thank you to TOURISM MALAYSIA for giving me the opportunity to enjoy the Malaysian Grand Prix.

MALAYSIA, TRULY ASIA !! 

March had been full of Surprises for me & the Tickets for Malaysian GP was the biggest surprise!!

I had never dreamt of attending the Malaysian GP this year and TOURISM MALAYSIA Surprised me with a fantastic gift - a 2 day Grandstand Ticket!! A big thank you to them because this GP had it all and I had the Privilege to see it all !!

Saturday was a hot and humid day. Hamilton and Jenson Button locked the front row for Mclaren and Schumacher qualifying third ensured that the Mercedes Engines were in for a strong race. Kimi qualified 5th but a gear-box change demoted him to 10th.

Sunday showed similar weather conditons one hour prior to the race. However 15 minutes to the race and the sky had become overcast. A Straightforward dry race was definitely in jeopardy. HRTs were the exceptions as they opted for the Blue Banded wet tyres while the others considered Intermediates as the wiser option. The Five lights went out and what followed was one of the most amazing races I had ever seen!!

Grosjean starting from 7th, made a good start and was third into turn 1. Schumacher and Grosjean made contact at turn 4 and both spun, losing several postions in the process and Grosjean eventaully retired on lap 4 after spinning into a gravel trap. On the first lap, turn 9 to 11 was almost completely dry but the rest of the track was very wet. Perez stopped after the first lap to change to full wets in a move that would elevate him to an eventual podium scoring position. All drivers had pitted onto full wets by laps 5 as the pitwall radar showed "the intensity will increase to 4 from time to time" meaning heavy rain was still to come.

The race restarted under the safety car. 4 laps behind the safety car & majority of the drivers once again pitted to change to intermediate tyres. Vettel lost radio contact with the pits. On lap 15, Jenson Button clumsily locked up the rear wheels and made contact with Karthikeyan, forcing him to pit again to change the front wing, ending his podium chances. Subsequently he made up a few places but was unable to finish in the top 10.

Alonso emerged from this as the new leader when he overtook Sergio Perez on lap 16, a lead he only briefly relinquished with a lap 40 pit stop. Rosberg was in fourth on lap 23 but slowly slipped backwards when his tyres overheated and he consequently pitted early for more intermediates. As the track slowy dried further, the top five all had comfortable gaps between them.

The Heavier rain that was forecasted never came ( Lap 31 ). After being 8 seconds behind Alonso in 2nd, Perez begun to set consecutive fastest laps and was closing the gap to the leader. The rain forecast prevented most cars from changing to slicks when the track was dry.

Daniel Ricciardo was the first to take the gamble and change to dry tyres on lap 37. He set the fastest lap by some three seconds on Perez and that initiated the change from wet to dry tyres for everyone else.

Perez on the prime tyre consistently cut down on Alonso's (medium tyre) lead to within half a second. However Perez was told on the radio "Sergio, we need this position, I Repeat we need this position." referring to the 18 points on offer for 2nd place. On the same lap Perez took too much curb on turn 14 and ran wide! This cost him at least five seconds and ensured that Alonso retained his lead.

Commentators questioned whether Sauber - whose engine is supplied by Ferrari - gave a coded message to Perez asking him to allow the engine supplier to take victory. Sauber denied this emphatically after the race. Could the Factory Ferrari instruct the Customer Ferrari to back off and let the former win? Well the Speculation will go on...

Late in the race, Vettel received a puncture against the front wing of Narain Karthikeyan, and he pitted from 4th place, finishing 11th; Karthikeyan was given a 20 second post-race penalty for his part in the collision. Pastor Maldonado, who was running 10th, was forced to retire on the penultimate lap when his engine gave way, allowing Michael Schumacher his first points of the season.

The Hero of the Day though was clearly Fernando Alonso.The Ferraris were struggling and didn't seem to have any chance of winning. However the rain always brings surprises and Alonso deserved the Victory. Sergio Perez left everyone astonished with his performace and the Sauber Ferrari will not be a pushover this season. They have plenty in reserve! Hamilton salvaged some pride for McLaren in 3rd but Button's incident with Karthikeyan simply spoilt the Brit's race.

 

Webber finished a strong 4th and it seems his consistency is finally rewarding him. Kimi had quite an entertaining race as he wrestled up the order to finish a commendable 5th. Bruno Senna, Paul Di Resta, Jean Eric Vergne impressed everyone with their drives finishing 6th, 7th & 8th respectively. They are definite champions in the making! Hulkenburg and Schumacher completed the Top Ten, a good day for Force India with both drivers finishing in point scoring positions.

Vettel seems to be under pressure. The German's incident with Karthikeyan demoted him from 4th to 11th. His post-race outburst using Derogatory terms at the HRT driver didn't go down well. Vettel is not getting a walkover this time! Massa put in a very disappointing shift again and it seems that Ferrari will be searching the market for a better teammate for Alonso. Maldanonado suffered heartbreak as his engine gave up the ghost, the Venezuelan failing to finish again...

China is the next stop for Formula 1 and is yet another Herman Tilke designed track. This season is going to be a close contested one and Red Bull has work to do to dominate again.

I hope Kimi does well in China...

2009 was the year Kimi Raikkonen left Formula 1. Ferrari in its enthusiasm to bring in Fernando Alonso didn't let the Finn complete his contract which would have ended in 2010. Kimi who would have stayed in Formula 1 had to leave the sport and start Rallying which wasn't as rewarding.

Many Fans had given up but the rumours of his return in 2011 encouraged us to hope and pray.

End of 2011 and Kimi was seen at the Williams' Factory during the Singapore GP Weekend. 

Then Came the news!! Kimi Returns to F1 with Lotus F1 with a 2 year deal!! He had got his rightful place and I hoped that I would meet him one day... & I almost did.

TOURISM MALAYSIA had been very kind to offer me a 2 day Grandstand ticket to watch the action at Sepang.

Come Saturday and I went Searching through the F1 Village to find something that would show my support to Kimi. Alas there wasn't anything..

Sunday however would be an unforgettable day for me. I had seen many fans wearing a Lotus Tshirt with the words "Iceman Kimi is Back" on the back.

I met a Fan wearing the same on Sunday. He revealed that they were a part of a European group who had come down to show Kimi their support at the GP ! He was kind enough to introduce me to the group.

I showcased all the prints and the poem I made for Kimi. To my Surprise Daniel a fan took off his Tshirt and gifted it to me!! It was so overwhelming.

I had struck a bond with the group. We were one in our support and love for Kimi Raikkonen. It was an honour to meet them all ; an experience that I shall always cherish and treasure. 2 weeks have gone by and still their chants of " Kimi Raikkonen .. Kimi Raikkonen" ring in my ears!

I hope I meet them again and this post is a small tribute to fans of Kimi Raikkonen from the Finnish Homeland!

 

All Hail King Kimi! Make way for the Iceman Cometh!!