Eins.. Zwei.. Sweet Sechzen.. Sweet Sweet Sixteen!!

If you have been watching the 2014 F1 season, you probably would have noticed the presence of a lot of stats and numbers. At the opening round in Albert Park, there were plenty of these, excluding the numerals that come with commentaries on the technical side especially in the dawn of a new weird era in F1 as one major news outlet puts it. 

The Wizard of Oz

2014's Wizard of Oz - Nico Rosberg

Among the primary stat was that of Mercedes AMG PETRONAS Formula One team's Nico Rosberg's win at 2014's first GP. The win down under was also the first win at the first race of the season for the latest generation silver arrow F1 W05; and the 100th F1 victory for Mercedes-Benz power. Some say, the first of many to come. Interestingly enough, Nico's win in Melbourne was also.. wait for it.. the first time that both father and son have won the GP down-under.

When asked about it at subsequent media engagements, Nico was very cool about that stat, but the German who speaks .. wait for it.. five languages, is his own man and quickly played down that stat. Rightly so! Why would you need him to walk in his father's shadow. He's happily casting his own shadow over the rest of the paddock this season. I am sure Nico, 2014's Wizard of Oz, will certainly have more stats to throw at you through the rest of this season. 

From the Outback to the Oven 

Then came the race in the sweltering tropical humidity of Sepang and a second win for Mercedes AMG PETRONAS. This time courtesy of Mr. Lewis Hamilton. Winning from pole to flag, the Briton's win was also his 23rd career win, one that eclipsed Damon Hill's race win tally. Congrats Lewis!!


The outing in the Malaysian sauna was also Mercedes' first 1 - 2 finish in 60 years! Hooray to the Silver Arrows and to the guys back in Stuttgart & Brackley. The various reports across the world's media in the days that followed included all the stats I've mentioned above. 

Awesome duo - Lewis and Nico

Alles super!!! Great.. but somehow I got the feeling that some stats were missing from the Malaysian GP. Stats far closer to home, if you're Malaysian that is.. Geek-mode activated.

If you were listening to the commentaries on the live feeds on either free-to-air or satellite, I couldn't help but notice that only one of them gave a vague reference to what the race meant to Malaysia. And, by Malaysia, I am also referencing directly to the lead protagonist of the Malaysian GP - PETRONAS.


Red, White, Blue and a Yellow 14-pointed Star

While serving the final months of my exile in Europe, I recall watching an F1 race in 1997 on TV. Well, it was more the TV was watching me. Anyway, what caught my attention then was a word emblazoned on the side of a very striking blue-green F1 car flash by on screen. The recognition of that name probably comes from a memory stored in my prefrontal cortex.

Wikipedia

It later dawned on me that the name belonged to Malaysia's own national oil and gas company. Wow, I thought well done lah PETRONAS! Makes sense, oil company-racing, not an unusual pairing. After all, there's Shell-Ferrari and Texaco Havoline Racing.. That realisation reignited my interest in F1. After Ayrton's horrific accident and death, I had relegated my interest in F1 to the back of my mind and focused on finishing my masters.

Anyway, fast forward to 2014. As I reflected back on my first Malaysian GP I realised that there are some landmark stats for Malaysia and PETRONAS that deserve a mention. Granted, some may claim that I am biased. Maybe I am.. So what?!


20 - Twenty - Venti - Zwanzig: 
I am proud of the fact that it's been twenty seasons since the name PETRONAS appeared in F1 on the rear wing end plate of the Sauber C14.. 


3 - Three - Tre - Drei: 
The PETRONAS name was already on the podium in third place, three times prior to the inaugural 1999 Malaysian Grand Prix - Monaco 1996, Hungary 1997 (both Johnny Herbert) and Belgium 1998 (Jean Alesi). 


7 - Seven - Sette - Sieben: 
When F1 landed on these tropical shores in 1999, Jean Alesi claimed a seventh place finish for Sauber PETRONAS C18, PETRONAS' first home race.


2nd - Secundo - Zweite: 
Prior to PETRONAS' relationship with Mercedes in 2010, it's best home result was second place - Robert Kubica's 2nd place in 2008 and Nick Heidfeld's 2nd place in 2009. 


2009: 
I cannot forget that bizarre 2009 race simply because that was also the year when the race started later for European audiences. The angry sky prior to the start of the race was making everyone nervous. When I saw over 90% humidity on the timing screens, I knew that this was going to be interesting. Well, it was. And I simply cannot erase the memory of seeing a very very famous F1 commentator sprinting down the paddock from the TV compound after Zeus unleashed his thunderbolt on the TV antennas. It was hilarious!

I could hear Nick on the radio saying he simply could not see anything once the heavens really opened up. He kept saying over and over "it's too dangerous!" The race was stopped after 31 laps and as it didn't reach the required 75% distance, the top 8 drivers were awarded half-points for their efforts - the 5th time in F1 history that that has happened. The drivers had completed a race distance of just under 172km, which was also the 5th shortest race in GP history.

P2 - Secundo - Zweite: 
Was PETRONAS' best qualifying result on home soil, courtesy of Nico Rosberg in the MERCEDES GP PETRONAS car in 2010. Michael Schumacher's best effort with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS on my home soil was P3 in 2012.


2121 days or 303 weeks or 5years 9months & 22days: 
That is how long ago it was since PETRONAS' claimed its first ever race win and first ever 1-2 race finish. It came in the way of then-backed team BMW Sauber F1 Team's Robert Kubica (1st place) and Nick Heidfeld (2nd place) results at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. 


Sweet 16: 
How apt then that PETRONAS would get it's second 1 - 2 finish, its first ever on its own home soil and MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS' first home race of the season in 2014 right here in Sepang on the PETRONAS Malaysia Grand Prix's sixteenth edition. 


The waterworks are on now..

I miss Robert and Heike.

Despite the fact that I am probably biased, I cannot help but feel good at those facts. Since my time in the industry, I recall a lot of happy memories sunning under the blazing heat of the Sepang paddock. For instance, when a usually cool and collected Nick Heidfeld gave me a rather emotional hug after finishing fourth at the 2007 PETRONAS Malaysian GP; or Robert Kubica's high-five and back-slap after his second place at the 2008 PMGP. Weirder still was Mario Theissen hugging me that same year.. now that was a super shock, if there ever was one.

As I struggle with the memories that seem to be flooding out of my prefrontal cortex and emotions from my amygdala - I will end this post with this thought. People often critique and find faults in what PETRONAS does in F1. While I am predisposed to understand the motivation, I am proud of having been a part of this historic journey, both as an observer and participant. 

arguing with 1996 world champion Jacques Villeneuve..

I am proud to have crossed paths with so many souls whose names most will never know, whose roles were insurmountable over the past 20 years. The congratulations that PETRONAS earned at the sweet 16th home GP last weekend I believe also belong to those names buried deep in the archives. 

This post is dedicated to those soldiers who laboured so hard against the adversities thrown at them from members of parliament, politicians, editors, journalists, members of the public, fellow colleagues.. etcetera. Theirs was a struggle against all the antagonists and adversities that has eventually turned into a positive, culminating in that landmark 1-2 result on March 30th. Take pride in knowing who you are/were and what you've done. You should! I am. 

We miss you Arwah Tun, Arwah Yati, Tan Sri & Puan Sri H, the late Ute Cohrs, RR...