Less than a week after the first event, we're gearing up for the second, as the 2013 season gets underway with back to back racing. This weekend, the teams are in Malaysia and where some are hoping to repeat their successes from Albert Park, others are wishing for better luck in Sepang. From the look of the weather forecasts, though, they may not be in for an easy weekend!

Event schedule

One race down and plenty to behold, as Red Bull seemed to lack a bit of the pace they were hoping for come race day. McLaren, meanwhile, were very disappointed with their performance, and are hoping for far better things in Sepang. The rookie drivers all managed, with varying degrees of success, a reasonable start in Australia, and will want to repeat the feat in Malaysia.

Support racing for this event includes GP2, Malaysian Super Series, Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.

The weather

Malaysia is known for its downpours at this time of year, and more than that, at the exact time the race is scheduled to begin. As anticipated, the long-range weather forecasts suggest scattered storms throughout the weekend, although Saturday may be subject to clouds rather than the full on monsoon.

Circuit map

With the FIA's efforts to double the DRS at every circuit, Sepang now boasts two distinct DRS zones. The first is a new section, with detection coming around the curve before the first of the two enormously long straights.

The second is the same as it was last year, with detection and activation super close together around the final corner, so that drivers can maximise the DRS opportunity down the very long home straight.

The circuit

The Sepang circuit is wide, wide, wide, which can help with overtaking where DRS fails to aid. The long straights that end in tight corners are a traditional part of Formula One these days, but there are plenty of sweeping corners to balance out the challenge. The engines face a rigorous weekend, with high temperatures, high humidity, and a high proportion of each lap completed at full throttle.

As well as the engines struggling with conditions, drivers also face their first real endurance race of the year. The humidity can mean losing fluids becomes a problem, and the tough track surface combined with high speed cornering will mean concentration is key - making any mistake on the tyres will be costly.

Tyre compounds

Pirelli are bringing the hard compound to the track for the first time this season, with its brand new sidewall colouring of orange. The hard and medium pairing are in place to attempt to deal with the abrasive surface of Sepang, and as Pirelli's motorsport director explains, there may be more pitstops in store for us this weekend.

The nomination we have for Malaysia is the same as last year, but the compounds themselves offer more performance and deliberately increased degradation this season, Last year three stops proved to be the winning strategy in a mixed wet and dry race... We’d expect three stops again but once more it’s likely to be weather that dominates the action.

- Paul Hembery

Press conference schedule

Official press conferences are organised by the FIA and happen four times during the weekend. The qualifying and post race press conferences will take place after the television unilateral interviews.

Race stewards

The FIA stewarding process was changed recently to include a former F1 driver to offer added insight. These are the stewards overseeing this weekend's action.