Intense heat and humidity welcomes MotoGP to Sepang

In contrast to the cool, fresh conditions of Phillip Island last time out the MotoGP paddock has hot, sticky weather to acclimatise to on Thursday (30°C heat and 83% humidity as of 10am local time) as the preliminary activities take place ahead of the seventeenth race weekend of the season – the Polini Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix.

The on-track action at the penultimate round of the season commences at the normal time of 9am on Friday, but first there is time for some build-up at the tropical circuit on Thursday afternoon.

At 3pm today traditional Malaysian dancers in full costume with typical local musical instruments will visit the paddock and invite the riders to try out a game called `sepak takraw´ - which involves a group of people standing in a circle taking turns to balance a small rattan ball with their feet, without using their hands.

The more serious business of the official pre-event press conference takes place in the customary 4pm slot, with Valentino Rossi (Fiat Yamaha), Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro), Nicky Hayden (Repsol Honda), James Toseland (Tech3 Yamaha) and Loris Capirossi (Rizla Suzuki) previewing the weekend´s action in the state-of-the-art Sepang media centre.