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.

2013 Season has been a revelation so far. Kimi Raikkonen and Lotus F1 outclassed and outwitted the opposition with a victory in Australia after starting 7th on the grid.

Red Bull had to respond and they did in Malaysia with a 1-2 finish which would be remembered for all the wrong reasons.

Vettel after qualifying on pole was pulling away from the rest, only to see his teammate Webber edge ahead at the end of the final pit stop.

Webber had driven a flawless race and seemed to be the rightful winner of the race. Red Bull instructed him to turn down the engines and cruise home, a code listed as " Multi 21 ". However as he left the pitlane he saw his team-mate and Triple World Champion Sebastien Vettel breathing down his neck.

Vettel tried different means in getting past. The team was quick to notify the German of the situation, the code clearly asking both to hold their positions and bring their cars home. Vettel didn't pay heed and made a daring manoeuvre on the outside to take the lead much to the disdain of the Australian.

The Team immediately reprimanded him and he was asked to explain his actions post-race. The Drivers made it to the podium and the tension could be felt in the air.

Webber made his feelings clear in the Driver Interviews. Vettel later realised his mistake and went on an Apology Spree.

Vettel was asked to stay fort sighting the tyre degradation of the Pirellis. A fight between the two could have resulted in the tyres going "off the cliff" before the finish and the chances of falling into the clutches of the chasing Mercedes PETRONAS duo of Hamilton and Rosberg was very real.

Vettel realised his mistake and apologised to both his team-mate and the team.

However the Damage had been done.

Vettel is chasing his 4th consecutive Driver's Title. The German has been relentless in his desire to win. The team's requests to "take-it-easy" have gone unheeded on past occasions. It was not a surprise to see him do a deja-vu in Malaysia.

Vettel sensed the opportunity for the win and took it. There are many questions that have arisen from this incident.

1) Why did Vettel go against Team - Orders to win the race? It was only the 2nd race of the season and the German would have myriad opportunities to win races.

It seems that Vettel fears the possibility of having to play catch-up ( should he be in contention ) like last year. It was a herculean effort by the team and driver to take the Title last season. No Slip-ups this time it seems.

2) What does this do to the relationship between the Team-mates?

Webber has played the supporting role for 2 seasons. He has been a great team-mate and has had good victories to his name. Victory at the Malaysian GP was clearly snatched from him by Vettel. Webber is not a happy man in the team. He seems to be weighing his options now and conspiracy theories are only adding fuel to the fire.

Webber would clearly turn down the role of Helping Vettel if he is contention. The Team would rather have to witness a face-off between the two unless they are able to cool down the situation and nip it in the bud.

Team Principal Christian Horner has always emphasized equality for the Drivers but the incidents unfolding on the field suggest otherwise.

3) Is Vettel really remorseful?

Vettel won the Race, got 25 points on the board. This is official. A victory is a victory regardless of means adopted. All his apologies would fall short as the German has accomplished what he desired. Schumacher was no different and his actions on track were questionable on more than one occasion. Vettel , a protégée of sorts seems to be no different.

There is a saying that " Bad Boys always win" and Vettel wouldn't mind being labelled one if he can continue winning.

Red Bull are going full steam to douse the tension. The Team might not succeed this time ( their claims suggest otherwise ) and I won't be surprised to see a change in the line-up at the start of the next season.

What follows is a mystery. Lets wait as the season unfolds!!

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.

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.

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!!

The Stands were packed, The Paddock tense, The Drivers lined up on the Grid and the Five Red Lights went out to Start the 2012 season in Albert Park, Melbourne, Australia. The Weekend had sprung a lot of Surprises.

QUALIFYING :

The HRTs didn't make the grid on Sunday after failiing to qualify within the 107 % rule. Kimi Raikkonen's return was marred by a miscommunication and timing problem relegating him to 18th. The Ferraris struggled too as Massa Qualified a disappointing 16th and Alonso beached his Ferrari in Q2 to finish 12th.

The day however belonged to the McLaren duo as Lewis and Jenson topped the timesheets and Romain Grosjean sprung a big surprise qualifying 3rd. Schumacher, Webber & Vettel completed the top 6. The pace of the Mercedes GP, Sauber Ferrari & the Williams clearly showed that the first would be exciting.

RACE :

Button jumped Hamilton at the start and Grosjean dropped 3 places into the first turn. Webber was hit from both sides and suffered some damage. Contact at the rear affected Senna. The main beneficiaries were Perez, Alonso and Raikkonen, Perez jumping 12 places in the first two laps. Grosjean's race ended after contact with Maldonado's car, the Frenchman suffering a wrecked suspension. Schumacher was running third before his gearbox failed.

A retired Caterham brought out the safety car and Vettel jumped Hamilton for second place. The restart produced more incidents - most notably the contact between Senna and Massa knocking both out of the race.

The last lap had surprises of its own as Maldonado who had come close to challenging Alonso for 5th place ran too wide on the kerb and was spun into the wall thus wrecking his race. Rosberg suffered a puncture on the same lap when Perez tried a move, the front wing clipping the rear tyre.

Jenson Button won the race. Vettel, Hamilton completed the podium. Webber the home hero produced his best result at home in 4th. Alonso flattered the Tifosi finishing 5th in the car that just doesn't seem competitive. Kamui Kobayashi and Kimi Raikkonen benefitted from the last lap incidents finishing 6th and 7th respectively. Perez, Ricciardo & Di Resta took the final point scoring positions.

The race does indicate how team performances are going to be. The Australian GP done and dusted, it is now time to turn our attention to the First Race in Asia, the highly technical and one of the Best Drivers' circuits - THE MALAYSIAN GP AT SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT.

LOOKING AHEAD TO MALAYSIA :

Sepang is a very technical circuit with fast sweeping corners and a couple of really slow ones. The famed back straight has seen a lot of overtaking. All these circuit characteristics can only point to one designer - THE GREAT HERMANN TILKE!

The Malaysian GP is known to produce some of the greatest races of the season. The rains feature a lot on race weekends and races have been stopped or curtailed thanks to heavy downpours.The 2009 season was curtailed rewarding drivers only half the points.

So what does this year's race have in store for us?

Well the weather forecast shows storms throughout the weekend! We can't stop the monsoons can we? Rain always spices things up and evens out the field.

The first two races are on consecutive weekends. So teams won't have much to improve on the cars they used in Australia.

The McLarens are the favourite to win this race too and I think Button will overwhelm Hamilton again. He is consistent performer like Vettel and a better driver. So beating him would be difficult. Hamilton is ragged and can produce some magical drives but consistency would be needed from him to challenge his compatriot.

Vettel and Webber would be hoping to get some new components in their car to match the McLarens but this seems unlikely this weekend. The Ban of Blown Diffusers has affected the Milton Keyes team this year and changing wind conditons can affect the Red Bull which is more dependent on aerodynamics for performance.

Retirement for Schumacher and the last lap puncture for Rosberg didn't show the true pace of the Mercedes GP. Schumacher is called the Regenmeister ( rain master ) and if he qualifies strongly... you never know.

The Ferraris of Alonso and Massa will struggle according to me. Massa needs a good car to perform and Alonso has proved his driving prowess on more than one occasion by finishing in places that simply flatter Ferrari. Sorry to all the Tifosi fans but I don't see Ferrari on the podium.

Sauber Ferrari seems to be giving the Factory Ferrari a run for their money. The return of some experts of F1 ( retired from other teams ) have helped the team build a strong car. A podium finish for Kobayashi or Perez would be difficult but they seem better equipped than the other mid table runners.

Williams have had reshuffling at the top and the team seem to be slowly returning to the good old days. Maldonado needs to finish and stop making mistakes. He is a great prospect and can get the team a lot of points - provided he finishes! Bruno Senna is quick but has to settle in to return favourable results for the team.

Kimi Raikkonen & Romain Grosjean have got mixed resuts in the previous race for Lotus F1. An ardent fan of Kimi, I would love to see him on the top step of the podium but as it looks a Podium would be a very strong result for Lotus. Kimi showed great race pace as he climbed from 17th to finish a strong 7th, Grosjean's race cut short by the incident with Maldonado. Watch out for the Frenchman though.

The other teams have work to do and I dont see them in the points. Sahara Force India F1 and Scuderia Toro Rosso might just sneak in though.

This will be the first race of the season that I shall be attending!!

TOURISM MALAYSIA have been kind enough to offer me the privilege of watching the qualifying & the race in the grandstands. It's going to be an unforgettable experience for sure.

Can't Wait!!

Photo Credits : www.aneyeforindia.com - Santosh Verma Photography