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McLaren F1 driver Hamilton of Britain takes a corner during the first practice session of the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix in Sepang
McLaren Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton of Britain takes a corner during the first practice session of the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit outside Kuala Lumpur March 23, 2012 Reuters

As Day 1 of the race weekend at the Sepang International Circuit winds down, the drivers in the 2012 Formula 1 World Championships sat in for a FIA press conference on Thursday.

Check out what some of them had to say:

"It's never really something you're particularly conscious of during the race weekend, but I've made no secret of the fact that I'd love to win a Grand Prix at every circuit I race at. I've not won at Sepang before, but I've had some good races here - and I'd like to put the record straight with a victory this weekend," Lewis Hamilton, McLaren.

"Malaysia is obviously very, very hot, so the track temperature is very hard on the tyres, which needs managing. The track is beautiful to drive on; you really get to feel the sensation of a Formula One car, particularly in the middle sector. It's a great venue and, as a track, it has different demands to the Melbourne circuit, so that's something we'll be looking to get on top of very quickly," Mark Webber, Red Bull.

"This is the longest race in terms of distance, but above all, it's the most tiring from the physical point of view: it is vital to be as well prepared as possible and, towards the end, that can also make a difference out on track," Fernando Alonso, Ferrari.

"The Malaysia Circuit is actually more difficult than it seems. It has big run off areas and a broad track, meaning it appears easy, but it's not. The heat, high humidity and weather aren't the only challenges, as the main thing is to find the ideal car set up. There are two straights of almost one kilometre, but you also need a lot of wing on the car to create enough downforce for the corners, so it requires skill to find the right compromise. It's good to go there off the back of Australia and I hope we get another strong result," Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull.

Catch the action, in photographs, from some of the sessions from the 2012 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix...

Australia