• Malaysian Grand Prix

Rain again stalks Sepang

ESPNF1 Staff
March 31, 2010 « Sepang 'not ideal' for Renault - Kubica | »
Heavy rain caused last year's race to be halted after 33 laps © Getty Images
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Heavy rain is again forecast for the weekend at Sepang, raising fears of a repeat of the scenes which caused the abandonment of the Malaysian Grand Prix a year ago.

Organisers have already brought forward the start time from 5.00pm to 4.00pm for Sunday's race after the grand prix last year ended in near-darkness. But the threat of late afternoon rain, in unbearable humidity and high temperatures, has again been a feature in and around the city so far this week.

Mercedes' Norbert Haug said: "This climate is the greatest challenge for the teams, cars and drivers."

The same sort of weather is forecast throughout the weekend, although the chance of very heavy rain is mercifully smaller for the decisive qualifying and race sessions on Saturday and Sunday.

If torrential rain does spoil the weekend then it will raise major doubts over the authorities' wisdom in staging it at a time of year where this kind of weather is typical.

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