Tyres and toilets on everyone's mind

Sergio Pérez was next in line as the queue formed in the narrow corridor that runs alongside the McLaren garage. The toilet can never be too far away when you are racing at the steamy Sepang circuit.

Photo: CaterhamF1

The Malaysian Grand Prix is probably the biggest physical challenge of the season for the drivers and the teams. The state of the weather is never far from their minds and bodies - they are either looking up at the skies or down into the urinal.

"You use a lot of salt and you drink a lot during the day," said Giedo van der Garde, the new boy at Caterham preparing for his first Malaysian Grand Prix. "We drink five or six litres, but you pee a lot." As Pérez found out when he discovered the drivers' toilets were somewhat engaged yesterday.

The immediate threat is not the heat, although it was a consistent 32C (90F) throughout practice yesterday and is not due to get any cooler. But the humidity here is the killer, a sweatinducing torment that means any physical activity ends in a pool of water and breathless exhaustion.

Drivers have attempted to acclimatise by exercising outdoors and Lewis Hamilton spent time up country in jungle territory to get used to the conditions. After a run around the Sepang track, though, he had to admit: "It is horrible."

Ice vests have been issued to drivers and key mechanics will be taking similar precautions in garages more like steam rooms during tomorrow's race.

All this will matter little if it rains. When it rains here, it comes down like a giant, wet blanket. The 2009 race was abandoned after 31 laps amid torrential rain and the downpour on Thursday, which forced the postponement of the nearby Malaysian Open golf tournament, indicates what might lie ahead.

The biggest factor in deciding the Malaysian Grand Prix, though, remains the round black things that were shredding and leaving rubber deposits all over Sepang yesterday. As Mark Webber, the Red Bull driver, said: "The whole category is geared around tyres at the moment. Everything is around tyres - tyres, tyres, tyre, tyres, tyres."

Sebastian Vettel, his team-mate, raised the alarming question of "survival" because degradation of the Pirellis is so high. "It doesn't look very nice," Vettel, the world champion, said. "I hope we have enough tyres to survive the race. Tyre wear was severe for everyone, so you go around way under the [performance potential of the] car. It is not a lot of fun, but that is how it is."

There were 75 pitstops at last year's race and Pirelli predicts a minimum of three per car, but the pit crews should be ready with their wheel guns. A race that runs wet and dry could make them the busiest people in Malaysia tomorrow.

The Times, London