The weather in Malaysia can be very stressful for a driver and team with several possible scenarios, says Fernando Alonso.
The Malaysian GP is almost certainly going to be rain affected at some point during the weekend.
This has led to the Spaniard preparing several plans to accomodate every eventuality, with the teams needing to act quickly to the varying weather conditions which can hit the Sepang International Circuit with very little warning.
“The fact that the weather can change so quickly here makes the preparation work for the various phases of work on track more stressful,” the double-time world champion said.
“Suddenly it can go from sunshine to a short sharp shower and you need to be prepared for every eventuality.
“It’s not just a problem for us drivers, as it affects the whole team – in some cases you need to be ready with a plan B or C, or even maybe a D for all the various scenarios!”
He insists he’s ‘100% ready’ for the race though after preparing for the immense humidity and heat which plagues the country at this time of the year.
“I arrived in Malaysia a few days ago, having stayed a while in Australia, on Hamilton Island. I decided to stay in this part of the world so as to be used to the local time zone, given we now take on two races in the Far East, first in Sepang and then in Shanghai,” he explained.
“It’s important to get used to the weather conditions, especially here where the temperatures are around the 30°C mark, it’s very humid.
“Being 100% ready in this respect can make all the difference on Sunday afternoon as even on a mental level, this race is very special.”