Formula Extreme

Standing in front of K1 Entrance @ Sepang 2005

The name is Ching Wei. My field & scope of work are related to IT. My home town is in Georgetown, Penang which is located on the north-west coast of peninsular Malaysia. Penang island is a paradise for food lovers who come from all over Asia to sample the island’s unique cuisine.

I started this blog/website because I wanted to record the immense changes over the world of Formula 1 that has been my passion since 1996. Formula One, abbreviated to F1 is the pinnacle class of auto racing rated by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) which is the motor sport’s world governing body. The “formula” in the name is a set of regulations which all participants and cars must meet. The F1 world championship season consists of a series of races, known as Grands Prix, held usually on purpose-built circuits and in a few on closed city streets. The results of each race are brought together to decide two annual World Championships, one for drivers and one for constructors.

It is an enormous television event, with millions of people watching globally. The cars race at high speeds, often greater than 300 km/h (approx 190 mph) and are capable of pulling up to 4 g-force in some corners. The formula present a number of limitations and specifications that cars must meet. These are designed, amongst other things, to keep the ever-increasing cornering speeds in reliable extent. The performances of the cars today are greatly dependent on electronics, suspension, aerodynamics and tyres. The formula has seen many advancements and modifications through the history of the sport.

The nearest racing circuit from Penang is none other than the Sepang F1 International Circuit, located in Selangor, Malaysia. Personally, I’ve been there three times (2003-2005). The circuit possess excellent pit garage and media facilities, as well as inspiring grandstands and patron services.

My favourite circuit would be the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps which is the famous venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix and the Spa 24 Hours endurance race. I would consider it to be one of the most challenging race tracks in the world, mainly due to its fast, mountainous and winding characteristics. The circuit features one of the most well-known and dodgy segment of any racing track in the world, the Eau Rouge complex. Drivers race down a straight to the point where the track intersects the Eau Rouge course for the first time, prior to being propelled sharply uphill into an extensive left-right-left compilation of corners with a blind apex.

This would be my short biography.