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Shell Eco-marathon Asia kicks off
Around 80 of 123 registered teams were already on site for the Shell Eco-marathon 2012 at Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday. Early arrivals were at the track at 8 am seven and a half hours before the event opened at 15h30!
Many more teams have been arriving today, with more than 1,000 students expected to be part of the third running of the Shell Eco-marathon Asia here at the Sepang International Circuit in Kuala Lumpur, home of the Malaysian Grand Prix.
Teams from Hong Kong, Lebanon, Qatar, South Korea and the UAE make their first journey to Malaysia to compete against strong contingents from Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and last year’s winners from Thailand.
Team Nakoela from Indonesia unpack their car at the garage in Sepang
Conditions on track at Sepang are very different to those of the events in Houston and Rotterdam. The hot and humid weather conditions mean teams run out on track for half the time of competitors at the sister events. “Cutting run times to 23 minutes helps the students compete in the heat,” says Norman Koch, Shell’s Global Technical Director.
”Many of the cars are very small inside, with little or no ventilation. We ensure that drivers don’t stay on the track too long, and are offered a drink as soon as they get out.”
Occasional bursts of very heavy rain can also cause problems. “We had some extremely heavy rain just before the event,” says May Wong, the SEM Asia Project co-ordinator. “We lost some tents in the wind – but we were able to get everything back on track in good time!”
Passing the rigorous technical inspection is the competitors’ first goal before teams are allowed to take to the track. The testing ensures cars are safe and fit for purpose.
Teams have until 19h Thursday to make any alterations and ensure they pass and can head out on the track.
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