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Sepang International Circuit
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==History== [[File:Sepang International Circuit 1.JPG|thumb|Sepang International Circuit [[grandstand]], and its iconic umbrella shade.]] The circuit was designed by German designer [[Hermann Tilke]], who would subsequently design circuits including in [[Shanghai International Circuit|Shanghai]], [[Bahrain International Circuit|Sakhir]], [[Istanbul Park|Istanbul]], [[Marina Bay Street Circuit|Marina Bay]], and [[Yas Marina Circuit|Yas Marina]]. As part of a series of major infrastructure projects in the 1990s under [[Mahathir Mohamad]]'s government, the Sepang International Circuit was constructed between 1997 and 1999 close to [[Putrajaya]], the then-newly founded administrative capital of the country, with the intent of hosting the Malaysian Grand Prix. The Malaysian climate means the circuit is known for its unpredictable humid tropical weather, varying from clear furnace-hot days to tropical rain-storms. [[File:Starting grid of 2010 Malaysian GP.jpg|thumb|right|[[Petronas]] sponsored the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix as the title sponsor since its inaugural race in 1999.]] The circuit was officially inaugurated by the 4th [[Prime Minister of Malaysia]] [[Mahathir Mohamad]] on 7 March 1999 at 20:30 [[Time in Malaysia|MST]] ([[UTC+08:00]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Sepang International Circuit - Our Story |url=https://www.sepangcircuit.com/about/our-story |access-date=8 January 2013}}</ref> He subsequently went on to inaugurate the first [[Grand Prix motorcycle racing|Moto GP]] [[Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Malaysian Grand Prix]] on 20 April 1999 (see [[1999 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix]]) and the first [[Formula One]] [[Malaysian Grand Prix|Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix]] on 17 October 1999 (see [[1999 Malaysian Grand Prix]]). On 23 October 2011, on the second lap of the [[MotoGP]] [[2011 Malaysian motorcycle Grand Prix|Shell Advance Malaysian Grand Prix]], the Italian [[Motorcycle racing|motorcycle racer]] [[Marco Simoncelli]] died following a crash in turn 11 on Lap 2, resulting in an abandonment of the race. The track was completely resurfaced in 2016 with the support of italian designers Dromo, with several corners reprofiled to emphasize mechanical, rather than aerodynamic grip. Notably, the final corner was raised by approximately 1 meter,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Take a trip around the world's toughest F1 circuit with our composite race track |url=https://www.redbull.com/car-en/f1-toughest-track-ever |access-date=1 July 2022 |website=Red Bull |date=4 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref> which officials claimed would force drivers to take a later apex and explore different racing lines through the hairpin. In October 2016 it was rumored that the Sepang circuit may be dropped from the Formula One calendar due to dwindling ticket sales, and held its nineteenth and last World Championship Grand Prix in 2017.<ref name="bbc.com/sport">{{cite news |title=Malaysian Grand Prix: Sepang could leave F1 calendar over ticket sales |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/formula1/37759494 |access-date=25 October 2016 }}</ref> The race's contract was due to expire in 2018, but its future had been under threat due to rising hosting fees and declining ticket sales.
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