By Jamie Makin
March 12 2005

"I love the Sepang track," said SAUBER PETRONAS driver Felipe Massa. And he should love it, because he has raced to a points-scoring finish in both of his starts at Malaysia's Sepang Circuit. "There are a lot of fast, flowing corners where you can get a really good rhythm, and there are a lot of opportunities for passing, especially if you get a good tow down the two long straights," the Brazilian added. "I think we could see a lot of overtaking this year, and the change in downforce rules will help."

Massa had no trouble overtaking at last weekend's Australian Grand Prix where he converted an unlucky 18th place start into a solid 10th place finish. He is comfortable with the team's new C24 and has been thinking ahead about how to best use it at Sepang. "Turns 9 and 11 are tricky because they require lateral braking on entry which demands that you set up the car very carefully so that you have the necessary stability. You have to work a lot on the electronics for the engine braking and the differential," he said.

Car preparation is always important but driver preparation can be even more critical. Malaysia puts a much higher demand on a driver's fitness than Australia or winter testing. "Sepang is also very tough physically because of the humidity," Massa explained. "You sweat an awful lot and can lose 2 to 2.5 kg over a race distance. That’s going to be made even tougher this year on the mental side by the need to look after your tyres, especially during the closing laps."

Felipe Massa - Results for Malaysian GP:

YEAR	QUAL	RACE	COMMENTS
2004	11	8	-
2002	14	6	-

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