Sepang International Circuit

Sepang was Hermann Tilke's first Formula 1 design and set the template for almost every circuit built since: very wide track, long straights ending in tight corners, and generous asphalt run-off. It hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix from 1999 to 2017.

Two long straights joined by a hairpin made overtaking straightforward, and the fast, sweeping first sector rewarded aerodynamic performance. The circuit's unusual width — up to 22 metres — allowed genuinely different racing lines.

Its defining variable was weather. Sepang's tropical location produced sudden, torrential afternoon rain, and several races were red-flagged or decided by it. Heat and humidity also made it one of the most physically demanding rounds on the calendar.