From Manila Bulletin ONLINE News:
Malaysian F1 tour speeds its way to Pinoy tourists


Cel Cadahing-Ocampo

Malaysia has been very enthusiastic in promoting itself as a prime tourist destination in Southeast Asia.

On top of the usual attractions such as its pristine beaches, tropical forests, the Petronas Towers, and a unique blend of culture, Malaysia now also banks on the rising popularity of Formula One racing among Asians as one of its biggest crowd drawers. Its Sepang International Circuit in Selangor is the first circuit in the region to play host to the most popular car racing event in the world.

And Filipino F1 fanatics are not to be left behind.

Valerie Santos, owner of Racegear, a travel agency that specializes in Formula One tours, says Filipinos are among those who frequent Sepang to get the real F1 experience. "It’s very different when you see the speeding cars and hear the deafening sound of the roaring engines. The Filipino F1 fans want all these thrills," Santos explains.

Edwin Yaptangco, a father who is always on the lookout for new experiences for himself and his family, discovered just that when he brought his entire family to Malaysia this month. "We had a blast," Edwin reveals, recalling how he and his family got to see "the real thing." They were able to watch, hear and feel a Formula One race in the flesh.

"We got close to the cars, the pit stops, the crews, and the drivers. We even had the opportunity to try the go-kart track that’s a miniature version of the Sepang Circuit," he says.

For the Yaptangcos, watching an F1 race live was the fulfillment of a fantasy that was fueled by years of watching F1 races on television.

Junep Ocampo, a motoring journalist in the Philippines, says watching an F1 race gives him goose bumps. "It gives me a different high when I hear the cars zooming, their engines hitting the high notes as they accelerate, changing tune as the drivers downshift, and rising to a crescendo once more on the long straights," he said.

At the Sepang circuit, the Yaptangcos and Ocampo met Rod Silvestre and his brood, also a family of self-confessed F1 fanatics. Rod and his wife Marlene had gone to F1 races in the United States and China (Shanghai) but it was their first time to bring their two sons, both college students, to an F1 race.

"Nothing can compare to being where the action is," says Rod. "The TV can show you the action up close but it cannot make you feel the electricity of an actual race. You have to be at the track to really feel it," he adds.

Aside from the race, Rod also wanted his sons to experience the traditional F1 parties on a Saturday night, the eve of the Grand Prix. Billeted in a hotel at the center of KL, the Silvestres were just a stone’s throw away from the Renault party.

"Our favorite team is Ferrari but the Ferrari party was held at another venue. But it was okay. Just being able to experience these F1 parties makes the trip very special," Rod said.

Both Edwin and Rod saved up for their F1 tours which cost about 0 per person inclusive of roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodation, and tickets to the qualifying and actual F1 race.

Ocampo, meanwhile, says those who want to watch F1 races in Malaysia can do so every March since the Malaysian leg is usually the second race in the Formula One calendar. "There are other races there on other months such as the MotoGP for those into motorcycles," he adds.

How to get there

There are various airlines that service the Manila-Kuala Lumpur route daily. Malaysian Airlines, for example, has a tie-up with Philippine Airlines and flies to KL in the afternoon.

When in KL, you can stay in any of the hotels at Bukit Bintang, known as the downtown and shopping capital of Malaysia. Here you will have a myriad of choices for eating out plus you are a stone’s throw away from all the F1 parties that happen on a race weekend.

What to bring

Be sure to wear light clothes and comfortable shoes. F1 getup is standard in many of the F1 related events. If you don’t have that, you get buy authentic merchandise at lower prices straight from the Sepang circuit.

Oh, be sure to wear sunscreen too and drink lots of fluid as the sun is at its brightest in Malaysia during an F1 race.