Malaysian GP preview - Sauber-Petronas.

Having made a solid start to the 2004 Formula One season at the Australian Grand Prix, the Sauber-Petronas team moves on to what it lovingly calls its 'home' event - the Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix - at Sepang.

The new driving line-up of Giancarlo Fisichella and Felipe Massa travelled to Malaysia immediately after the Australian round, with only a stop-over in a fitness camp with physiotherapist Joseph Leberer to prevent them from heading straight for the public relations build-up that always ties team and event together.

After the brief sojourn in Kota Kinabalu, designed to help condition both drivers for the Sepang climate, both will join team principal Peter Sauber and other team members in a PR programme organised by Petronas, starting on Saturday (13 March) in Borneo.

Fisichella and Massa will kick-off the Malaysian Grand Prix campaign in East Malaysia, taking part in an interactive programme with students from selected secondary schools, before moving on to participate in a driving and pit-stop demonstration the following day. The drivers will again join students from selected schools, this time in Kuching, to explains the ins and outs of Formula One.

The week continues with visits to the Sarawak Cultural Village in Santubong, the Petronas LNG Complex and Asean Bintulu Fertiliser plant, before the drivers receive their official cars from Malaysian manufacturer Proton at Proton Edar showroom on Wednesday. The team will also attend the presentation of the 2004 Malaysian GP grid girls' costumes at Suria KLCC shopping centre, before signing autographs at the Suria KLCC and BB Plaza shopping centres.

"Malaysia is a wonderful country and, although we stay near the airport, I am looking forward to seeing more of the country during our pre-race PR activities," Fisichella said.

Once those PR duties are completed, however, all attention will turn back to the second round of the world championship...

Although the Melbourne weekend started off warm - before a drop in temperatures on race day caught many people unawares - there should be no doubt as to the conditions next weekend. Kuala Lumpur traditionally swelters in tropical heat and humidity at grand prix time, setting up possibly the hardest event of the year for all involved.

"Cooling is a critical factor," confirmed technical director Willy Rampf, "and, especially for the race, we have to prepare our maximum cooling capacity with the bodywork. We must also have some 'emergency' cooling in our pocket.

"Sepang is like Albert Park, a maximum downforce track under the latest aerodynamic regulations. The C23s will therefore be in similar specification to Australia, because there was no time for us to test between races, and the first components from our new wind tunnel at Hinwil will not come on stream until Imola. Overall, Sepang requires plenty of traction, so this will be the focus for the mechanical setting. There are a lot of high-speed corners, therefore stability is also important, together with good chassis handling balance.

"The high track temperature is very demanding for the tyres, but we are confident that Bridgestone will have a well performing tyre, like in Melbourne. There is a high chance of rain, so rain setting has to be prepared as well.

"In Melbourne, we were pleased with the performance of the C23 in the latter half of the race, which is very encouraging as we approach this important event. We will do our best to perform well in front of our sponsor Petronas."

Fisichella has contested every Malaysian Grand Prix in his 124-race career and admits to looking forward to returning to Kuala Lumpur each year.

"Sepang is a very challenging track, which is why I really like it," he explained, "However, I'm not so keen on the temperature - it's too high for me!

"Sepang is a very hard track physically. Most of the corners are quick - at least three-quarters of them - so the G force puts a lot of strain on your neck and shoulder muscles. However, after the way my car went in Melbourne, I'm feeling optimistic. Our package is improving all the time, as we learn more about setting it up."

Team-mate Massa has raced in Malaysia only once, having sat out last season while he tested for Ferrari, and is keen to get back.

"The last time I was a Sauber driver, I was lucky to see a lot of Kuala Lumpur, so I'm really looking forward to being back there," the Brazilian said, "I missed it last year.

"Sepang is a very nice circuit. I really like the challenge it presents and, of course, have the fond memory of scoring my first world championship point after finishing sixth there in 2002. There are a lot of quick corners and quick changes of direction, and I like that. It's not as hard on the brakes as Melbourne, it's more flowing, but you need good tyres there because it gets so hot, and good chassis balance. I really love driving there.

"You cannot compare the C23 to the C21 I last drove there. It is in another world because Formula One progresses so much even in just two years. I think the C23 is really going to suit the circuit, as our set-up work keeps paying off."