Verstappen relishes Sepang return

 Dutchman Max Verstappen was the last driver to win an F1 race at Sepang when he clinched the 2017 edition.

Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen said he has always enjoyed racing at Sepang International Circuit due to its track layout. (Facebook pic)

SEPANG:

Nine years after winning the last F1 race in Malaysia, Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen returns to the Sepang International Circuit (SIC) with fond memories of the track where he claimed the second victory of his career.

Back at the 5.543-kilometre circuit for this weekend’s F1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix 2026 in Malaysia, Verstappen admitted that the SIC paddock feels unfamiliar.

Despite needing some time to reacquaint himself with the venue, Verstappen said Sepang’s challenging circuit always made it an enjoyable one to race in.

“To be honest, I walked into the paddock, and I had no idea where I had to go. It’s been a long time,” he told a press conference here today.

“I always enjoyed racing here because I think I really liked the track layout. It was not very straightforward because there was always high degradation, hot in general, so quite uncomfortable in a way, of course, to drive physically.

“They are great, great memories but I have to get used again. It’s been a bit too long,” he said.

The Dutchman was the last driver to win an F1 race at Sepang when he produced a commanding drive for Red Bull Racing to clinch the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix in 1:30:01.290.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton finished second, 12.770 seconds behind Verstappen, while the latter’s then-Red Bull Racing teammate Daniel Ricciardo completed the podium in third, 22.519 seconds adrift. - FMT