More than 17 years ago, when the idea was first mooted for Malaysia to play host to the FIA Formula 1 World Championship, it didn't come on the back of a fanciful idea. Rather, it was the byproduct of a nation already imbued with a love affair with fast cars and bikes. In along with a heritage of hosting world championship-level events from as far back as the late hippy 60's and a cult of diehard petrolheads, it was evident that Malaysia possessed the motor racing DNA.
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The boys from the Malaysian Cub Prix championship
'on-track' for the demo |
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Like the weather and all things fad and fancy, the passion for motor racing has had its fair share of fluctuations. So, perhaps - in my humble and uneducated point-of-view - the motor racing gene had gone dormant for a while. It needed a foreign and external agent to reawaken the dormant gene, and a timely boost.
Since landing on our tropical shores, through the impetus provided by Formula 1, motor racing has found itself well and truly entrenched in some form or another. 17 years on, that passion is evident from the main protagonists in this still-young industry to the average Mat, Ali, Tan and Jo on the street.
The 2014 Edition
The 2014 FIA Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix is the 16th edition of this race event. To mark the occasion, the national oil and gas company PETRONAS - who are also the title sponsor of the race as well as the primary brand to a phalanx of racing teams - organised their almost-annual PETRONAS Demo Run on the streets of KLCC. In the early years of F1 in Malaysia, they used to take demo to various parts of the country. Since 2009 though, that tradition has somewhat found itself now based around the company's HQ, KL.
As a prelude to the race weekend itself, the event is intended to give fans and spectators a taste of not just F1, but also the other motor racing activities. This includes those that exist in Malaysia and where the jade-green PETRONAS oil drop is present elsewhere else. Held on a glorious and scorchingly hot and humid afternoon, the cavalry came out to play on Sunday, 23 March 2014. These are some of the picture highlights from that event.
2-wheel fun
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| Some of the young lads who race in the PETRONAS AAM Malaysian Cub PRix Championship, under the Hong Leong Yamaha marquee |
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| Kenny Chua from team PETRONAS Yamaha AHM Malaysia has been involved in motor racing for decades participating in the various motorcycle championships in and around the region. A young rider from Kenny's stable named Ramdan Rosli will head to Europe to ply his motorcycle racing trade in the CEV Spanish National Motorcycle Championship. Go Ramdan! |
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| Ramdan Rosli on his 600cc bike ahead of his demo run |
Monsters on 4-Wheels - Mercedes DTM Debut
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| The Mercedes DTM car made its debut appearance at a PETRONAS Demo Run on Sunday. The German auto manufacturer uses its C-Coupe in the highly competitive Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters, DTM (in the common tongue - the German Touring car championship). The competition is still against the likes of Audi and BMW. |
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| At the helm of the Mercedes C-Coupe DTM car is young Spaniard Daniel Juncadella, who is in his debut season for Mercedes in the 2014 DTM season. Good Luck Daniel! |
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| Daniel trying to stay cool in the scorching heat. |
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| Juncadella let loose on Jalan Ampang with his DTM monster. Awesome. |
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| And then indulges the crowd with his smokin' donut! |
Formula 1 Fever - the return of the noise, for just one day
There's been considerably debate over the deafening 'silence' of Formula 1 in the 2014 season. The regulation changes have significantly altered how F1 looks, feels and sounds. The infamous sounds of the roar of a monster 2.4 litre V8 engines are gone, thanks to the mandatory switch to the 1.6 litre V6 turbo engines.
Just when we thought the glorious ear-bursting F1 sounds were gone for good, the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team decided to bring it back to life, just for one Sunday afternoon.
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| The Mercedes AMG PETRONAS W03 from 2012 came out of retirement for just one day to thrill KL-ites |
The two-week break in the Formula 1 schedule between Melbourne and Sepang meant that instead of having the reserve drivers, fans and spectators got the treat of having the F1 car driven by its two main drivers - Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, the latter making his PETRONAS Demo Run debut.
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| Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg from the Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team |
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| Nico and Lewis indulging the sponsors with a spot of PR in the hot sun. |
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| Lewis takes a spin on Jalan Ampang, KL |
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| Then decides to add his own tyre-mark graffiti on the tarmac.. |
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| It's the 2014 Australian Grand Prix race winner, Nico Rosberg's turn at the wheel. Last minute twitter pic selfie.. |
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| Radio check? The mechanic's right behind you bro! |
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| I kinda dig Nico Rosberg's new helmet for 2014. |
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Lewis Hamilton: "I don't know how you all do it in this incredible humidity!"
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All in all, despite the sunburn, it was fun being back in the thick of racing. I do miss the people and friends I've made in the 16 years I was involved in motor racing. So, my thanks to Paulynne, Two Wheels Motor Racing, PETRONAS, Ramdan, Afiq, AHM riders, Dani, Georg, Nico and Lewis for a scorching Sunday afternoon!
The 2014 Formula 1 PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix takes place 28 to 30 March at the Sepang International Circuit.
