Vettel has doubts over camber changes at Sepang

2016 Malaysian Grand Prix

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Sebastian Vettel says he is unsure whether the changes to camber on some corners at Sepang will improve the Malaysian track.

The entire circuit has been resurfaced for this year’s race and some corners have been reprofiled as well. The final turn, number 15, now has a pronounced negative camber section on the inside.

Side-by-side: How Sepang has changed for 2016
“As for the camber changes on the track, I don’t know,” said last year’s Malaysian Grand Prix winner. “There are some places with more camber, looks like in turn five for example.”

“Positive camber is great for speed, but negative camber feels really bad because you just struggle for grip especially in low speed corners, just like the last one.”

Vettel is unsure whether Ferrari will be as competitive this year as they were 12 months ago.

“It was a very good place for us here last year with hot conditions,” he said. “This year I don’t know if it feels as hot, at least up to now, but it might change.”

“The asphalt is new, it’s a lot darker, which could cause high surface temperatures, a different reaction response of the car with the tyres, and so on.”

“The last races seems to show that we are on a way up again,” he added, “so in theory the mood is positive, the car is working fine.”

“We have some new bits, hopefully they help us to be even more competitive and then we’ll see.”

2016 Malaysian Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
    Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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    12 comments on “Vettel has doubts over camber changes at Sepang”

    1. Sepang has always been my least-favourite circuit to drive on racing games. I’m awful at the long corners and I think making the final corner off-camber will only make me dislike it more…

      1. Yeah, all cambers like that are totally unnatural. Breaks any nice Rythem a track might have.

        1. I did like the final corner. It never felt like you were attacking enough, especially when battling with someone. I’m not sure how the negative camber is supposed to improve racing. There’ll be exactly one racing line left, and if you try to attack someone on the inside, it’ll be difficult not to slide into them. Ah well. Let’s wait and see.

          1. Yeah best to comment about midday UK time on Sunday when we have had a chance to see how the changes work in race conditions.

      2. Love the track on F1 games, especially when I get the sweeping Ss and the following two left turns (where there is lot of understeer) right.

      3. The entire of the final sector is usually some mild disaster for me…

        1. I suuuccck at turn 14. Not sure I’ve ever taken the right line on any game!

    2. I love Sepang as a track. Just got all the right ingredients. I am not so sure negative cambers are ever good for racing.

    3. I thought 15 was quite an interesting corner with different drivers using alternative lines. Why exactly has it been reprofiled? Also, there are going to be some nice water streams into the pit lane entry if it rains.

      1. @john-h
        Yeah I’m with you on this. There was always a lot of action in that corner, drivers taking different lines, cutting back etc, so doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.

    4. Guybrush Threepwood
      30th September 2016, 1:20

      As a spectator, Sepang is the best track I’ve been to.

    5. I get why everyone here is against that negative camber on the final corner.

      But let’s all remember this was probably the worst spot on the track for pooling water during rain. If these changes improve drainage and mean that red flags are not necessary during a rain storm then in my books that is a positive.

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