Crowds cheer Malaysia's F-1 debut<\/p>\n
SEPANG, Malaysia (AP): Fighter jets swooped through sunny
\nskies and several thousand racing fans packed the stands to greet
\nMalaysia's Formula One debut Sunday.<\/p>\n
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad did two laps in a Mercedes
\nBenz official car on the new US$80 million circuit before the
\ngleaming cars roared in.<\/p>\n
Basir Ismail, chairman of the organizing committee, said
\n130,000 people watched the qualifying and practice races on
\nFriday and Saturday and the final on Sunday. But several rows of
\nseats were vacant.<\/p>\n
\"I am not a race enthusiast, but I am here because it is the
\nfirst time in Malaysia,\" said Ramli Manan, a bank employee.<\/p>\n
The race will make Malaysia famous around the world with
\nseveral million people watching it on TV, he said.<\/p>\n
Some Formula One fans were disappointed the turnout wasn't
\nbigger.<\/p>\n
\"In Argentina and Brazil, people sleep the night before (in
\nthe stands),\" said Ramiro Reyes, who had traveled from Indonesia
\nto see the race.<\/p>\n
Reyes, an Ecuador citizen who works in a petroleum company in
\nIndonesia, said the stands in Europe and South America would have
\nbeen filled to watch racing aces like Michael Schumacher and Mika
\nHakkinen.<\/p>\n
Before the race began, the crowd was entertained by a military
\nband and fighter jets performing loops and rolls in the air.<\/p>\n
Women dressed in colorful long-sleeved Malaysian costumes held
\nplacards with the drivers' names and numbers - in sharp contrast
\nto the tight-fitting outfits customary in Formula One races in
\nEurope and South America.<\/p>\n
It was the first time a Formula One race was held in a
\npredominantly Muslim country.<\/p>\n
Dark clouds and light rain in the morning had set off fears
\nthat monsoon showers could dampen the inaugural race at Sepang.
\nBy the afternoon, the clouds had cleared.<\/p>",
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