• SOUTH ASIA 2007
• NUSANTARA 2006
• TRANS-HIMALAYAS 2005
• TRANS-SAHARA 2004
• AFRICA TREK 2003
• SIBERIA 2002
• SILK ROAD 2001
• INDOCHINA 2000
• PASSAGE TO TIBET 1999

MARCH 2003

• Africa Trek: The Impact of the Iraq War
• PAT in F1 Opening Ceremony Parade
• Africa Recce Team Returns Home Safely
• PAT Exhibits in PETRONAS Motorsports Museum
• PETRONAS Motorsports Fan Club Launched
• F1 Demo Draws in the Crowds at Alor Star
• PETRONAS Street Demo

AFRICA TREK: THE IMPACT OF THE IRAQ WAR

24 March 03 - PAT's Managing Director Halim Abdul Rahman held an emergency meeting today with Von of PAT South Africa. They discussed whether the Iraq war will affect the recce schedule and the expedition route.

Hot spots include Sudan, where the expedition is to start from and Nairobi, which the convoy will pass through to reach Cape Town in South Africa.

PAT IN F1 OPENING CEREMONY PARADE

24 March 03 - Eight 4WDs participated in yesterday's F1 opening ceremony. Twenty PAT members took part in the event of the year.

Sauber PETRONAS team driver Nick Heidfeld grabbed a point for the team, finishing in eighth place (1'32:22.195). Team driver Heinz-Harald Frentzen placed ninth after overtaking Ralph Firman of Jordan in the last lap. The PAT members ended the evening by joining the after-race party in Kuala Lumpur.

AFRICA RECCE TEAM RETURNS HOME SAFELY

23 March 03 - War was the furthest thing on the minds of Linus Low and Stiven Sim. On the same day the war broke out, Linus and Stiven were in a three-car convoy 30km inside the Serengeti National Park in Kenya. They had already been in Africa for almost 20 days. The recce, recalled Linus, turned out very well.

Stiven said, "You know all the animals on TV? This is the real thing!" He added that there's a fair amount of off-roading, camping and staying in lodges.

In fact, the convoy was en route to recce a potential camp site within the national park when the accident happened. The convoy, with Linus and Stiven in car #2, were travelling on a straight and sandy road when the back tyres skidded and car #2 rolled twice before it turned turtle.

"The roof had collapsed and although Linus was conscious, he was not responding to my calls for some time," recalled Stiven who was the first to crawl out. Linus was trapped in his seat.

Fortunately, Marcus from PAT South Africa in car #3 is a paramedic, and together with Stiven, got Linus out. Both had minor cuts and bruises; Linus also had a bleeding fore finger which later required six stitches.

Marcus called SOS to airlift Linus (suspected spinal cord injury) and Stiven to Nairobi where Linus was warded overnight. "We were on the waiting list for a flight out of Nairobi, and I went to the airport to get confirmation," said Stiven.

When Linus was given the green light on Saturday to leave the hospital, the pair rushed to the airport and managed to get a flight home.

The war became more of a concern when the pair arrived in Dubai. "The airport was packed with people trying to flee the area," said Stiven. He said that they began to worry, but their fears were unfounded when the pair arrived safely in KLIA later that night.

PAT EXHIBITS IN PETRONAS MOTORSPORTS MUSEUM

21 March 03 - The PETRONAS Motorsports Technical Centre, which also houses the PETRONAS Motorsports Museum, was officially launched yesterday by the Minister of Youth and Sports, Y.B. Dato. Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein. Affectionately known as Block K, the technical centre located in Bangi is the showcase of PETRONAS' many years of involvement in motor sports.

This is where Malaysian engineers design, develop and improve products - translating knowledge gained in the field into benefits for PETRONAS customers. As a centre for motor sports excellence, it offers technical and management consultancy services. These range from engine performances, race construction and management, to fuel, lubricants, electronics, and road sports.

While the technical centre focuses on the PETRONAS Motorsports Museum is dedicated to the trusted individuals who have given up the luxury of their comfort in the pursuit of motor racing excellence. Each section of the museum is dedicated to a motor sport team - Sauber PETRONAS Race Team, PETRONAS Adventure Team, PETRONAS Eon Racing Team, Team PETRONAS Syntium Proton, and Team Froggy PETRONAS Racing.

Team representatives including Sauber PETRONAS Race Team drivers Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen were present for the opening ceremony and guided tour of the museum.

PETRONAS MOTORSPORTS FAN CLUB LAUNCHED

19 March 03 - The PETRONAS Motorsports Fan Club was launched last night at Planet Hollywood. All PETRONAS teams were present to celebrate the club which is open to the public. Signing the mock-up membership card was the PETRONAS-Sauber F1 duo Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Karamjit Singh and Allen Oh of PERT Proton Wira rally car and Halim Abdul Rahman, Faruk Abdul Rahman and Azman Baharuddin of PETRONAS Adventure Team. Membership benefits include discounts on merchandise and motorsports activities.

F1 DEMO DRAWS IN THE CROWDS AT ALOR STAR

17 March 03 - Together with PETRONAS' affiliated drivers, riders, and staff, the PETRONAS Adventure Team (PAT) had an enjoyable time at the successful F1 Demo and PETRONAS Motorsports annual gathering at Alor Star last weekend.

As part of the activities, the Sauber-PETRONAS F1 team, comprising German drivers Nick Heidfeld and Heinz-Harald Frentzen gave the public a taste of Formula 1 racing. Heidfeld and Frentzen took turns to drive the C22 Sauber-PETRONAS F1 car on five 1-km laps around a makeshift circuit at Stadium Darulaman. Two pit-stop demonstrations also awed the crowd that turned up in droves despite the heat of the day.

"Malaysia is an interesting country and I'd like to visit some of the resorts after the Grand Prix," said Frentzen. "I am very much looking forward to our 'home' race because the Malaysian people are so enthusiastic about the team and always give us an extremely warm welcome."

Also taking their respective cars/motorcycles for a few spins around the circuit were: Malaysia's rally hero Karamjit Singh (PERT Proton Wira rally car); Ahmad Zamani Baharudin, Mohd Shannaz Shidan and Shuhaidi Ali (PETRONAS Sprinta motorcycle racing team); and Fariqe Hanuman and Mashlino Buang (PETRONAS Endurance Asian Touring Honda Civics).

For the vehicle parade, all drivers and riders jumped into PAT's 4WDs, a convoy comprising nine Mitsubishi Storms and four Toyota Ninja.

The event was graced by the Sultan of Kedah, Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Hishammuddin Hussein, PETRONAS president and chief executive Tan Sri Mohd Hassan Marican, and team owner Peter Sauber.

Earlier in the day, the PETRONAS Motorsports group visited Kolej Sultan Abdul Hamid to participate in the Petrosains-organised competitions. In the science competition, PAT came in second, after PETRONAS Endurance Asian Touring Honda Civics. In the localised version of "Win, Lose and Draw", PAT emerged as the champions. The PETRONAS Motorsports annual gathering culminated in a dinner and showtime extravaganza with PAT contributing a dikir barat performance written by PAT member Azam (Bear).

PETRONAS STREET DEMO

14 March 03 - Ten PETRONAS Adventure Team cars and 34 PAT members are participating at the PETRONAS street demo at Alor Star, starting today. Here's the programme:

Note:PAT water polo team manager - Alpha Bravo
         PAT Showtime - Zulu and Romeo Victor