Looking back at 10 iconic Formula 1 moments at Sepang Circuit

In September 1999, Formula 1 returned to the Sepang International Circuit after a nine-year absence. The circuit had previously hosted a race in 1999, marking it as the first non-Japanese venue to do so. Michael Schumacher claimed pole position with a margin of nearly one second, but out of respect for team orders, he allowed Ferrari teammate Eddie Irvine to win the race, helping Irvine secure the title ahead of Michael Schumacher.

However, both Ferrari drivers were disqualified due to a bargeboard infringement, allowing Mika Hakkinen to retain the championship. The following year, in 2001, rain played a major role in the Sepang race. Intense thunderstorms caught drivers off-guard, with Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello running wide and Jarno Trulli and David Coulthard spinning.

Former commentator Murray Walker famously described the downpour as "washing down the track not by the bucketful, but by the oceanful!" Arrows driver Jos Verstappen managed to secure second place. In 2003, Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen made their Formula 1 debuts at Sepang. Alonso, who had been a test driver for Renault in 2002, clinched pole position at the age of 19, becoming the youngest ever to do so.

Kimi Raikkonen took his maiden Grand Prix win, while Alonso secured his first podium finish despite battling a fever. In 2009, the unpredictable weather at Sepang proved challenging once again. After Nico Rosberg took the lead, Jenson Button moved ahead during a pit stop phase, but the rain soon arrived, making the track extremely slippery.

The race was suspended, and Felipe Massa received a memorable piece of advice from his engineer. Eventually, Jenson Button emerged victorious, ahead of Nick Heidfeld and Timo Glock. In 2011, Vitaly Petrov made a surprising appearance on the podium, finishing third in Australia. Sepang also saw Petrov secure a podium finish, but a mistake during the final laps led to his retirement.

In 2012, Alonso and Sergio Perez faced off at Sepang, with both drivers starting from eighth and ninth on the grid. Alonso fought his way to the lead, and despite Perez's valiant efforts, Alonso maintained his position. In 2013, Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber's partnership at Red Bull hit a rocky period at Sepang. Following a wet/dry pit stop, Webber took the lead, and the team ordered the drivers to maintain their positions.

However, Vettel decided to attack Webber, leading the race. Vettel was warned by his engineer, but the issue was resolved, and Vettel went on to win the race.