Malaysian GP Thread - Contains Race spoilers!

[Fernando]

Spoiler:

Just a few days after Jenson Button's victory for McLaren at the season-opening race in Australia, the battle for the 2012 FIA Formula One Championship gets even more intense as we journey to Malaysia and the grand prix billed as 'The World's Hottest Race'. With in-car temperatures often edging above 50º C and with track temperatures to match, the race places huge demands on man and machine.

The energy-sapping heat and humidity aren't the only problems however. While quite smooth, the circuit's long straights and heavy-braking corners mean that the tyres, already hurt by the heat, also take a beating from the circuit surface. Car set-up is tricky too, and the combination of flowing sections, power-hungry straights and tight corners makes it a tough balancing act for the engineers. Finally, there's the weather to contend with. Heavy storms are a constant threat and can lead to major trouble, as we found out in 2009 when a torrential downpour led to the race being stopped after just 31 laps.

That race was, of course, won by Button on the way to the 2009 World Championship, and the question now is whether he can take a second win here and set himself up for another shot at the title. It won't be easy. In Melbourne, the Red Bulls recovered well after a tricky qualifying session to finish second and fourth in the race. Mercedes and Lotus, too, gave notice that, once minor issues are ironed out, they are ready to make the step up to championship contention. Further back the midfield looks incredibly tight with a number of teams all in the mix for points. And, naturally, Ferrari can never be written off. If Melbourne was a baptism of fire for the Scuderia's new car, then Fernando Alonso's fifth place showed they can stand the heat. And as we get ready for sizzling Sepang that can only be a good thing.

Length of lap:
5.543km
Lap record
1:34.223 (Juan-Pablo Montoya, Williams-BMW, 2004)
Start line/finish line offset
0.000km
Total number of race laps
56
Total race distance
310.408km
Pitlane speed limits
60km/h during practice;
100km/h during race

CHANGES TO THE CIRCUIT SINCE 2011

The verge on the exit of turn 8 has been re-worked in order to remove the bump in the grass which caused a problem in 2011.

The entire debris fence around the outside of turn 1 has been renewed.

Source: FIA

[The Special Juan]

I expect it to be rained off

[liverbnz]

Really looking forward to this as I didn't get a chance to watch the Australian GP properly. Intruiging start to the season so far...

[liverbnz]

I expect it to be rained off

Doubtful!

[Fernando]

Practice 1 results

1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.021s 19
2. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m38.535s + 0.514 21
3. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m38.813s + 0.792 21
4. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m38.826s + 0.805 19
5. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m38.919s + 0.898 17
6. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m39.092s + 1.071 20
7. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m39.128s + 1.107 22
8. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m39.298s + 1.277 23
9. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m39.323s + 1.302 15
10. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1m39.440s + 1.419 19
11. Valterri Bottas Williams-Renault 1m39.724s + 1.703 23
12. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m39.783s + 1.762 23
13. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m39.896s + 1.875 16
14. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m39.910s + 1.889 21
15. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m39.980s + 1.959 23
16. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m40.099s + 2.078 23
17. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 1m40.247s + 2.226 19
18. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m40.469s + 2.448 23
19. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 1m40.857s + 2.836 25
20. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m41.085s + 3.064 23
21. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 1m43.170s + 5.149 18
22. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 1m44.580s + 6.559 14
23. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1m45.360s + 7.339 8
24. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 1m45.528s + 7.507 18

Practice 2 results

1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.172 28
2. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m38.533s + 0.361 34
3. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m38.535s + 0.363 29
4. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m38.696s + 0.524 34
5. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m38.853s + 0.681 33
6. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m38.891s + 0.719 27
7. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m39.133s + 0.961 29
8. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m39.297s + 1.125 33
9. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m39.311s + 1.139 22
10. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m39.402s + 1.230 25
11. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m39.444s + 1.272 35
12. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes 1m39.464s + 1.292 26
13. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m39.625s + 1.453 20
14. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m39.687s + 1.515 16
15. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m39.696s + 1.524 29
16. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m40.271s + 2.099 27
17. Bruno Senna Williams-Renault 1m40.678s + 2.506 34
18. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m40.947s + 2.775 33
19. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 1m41.464s + 3.292 25
20. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 1m41.681s + 3.509 20
21. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 1m42.594s + 4.422 18
22. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 1m42.874s + 4.702 24
23. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1m43.658s + 5.486 18
24. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 1m43.283s + 5.561 22

[Fernando]

Kimi Raikkonen is set to lose five places on the grid for the Malaysian Grand Prix after a gearbox change following the second free practice

[Critical_mass]

poo! Thats a shame.

[Critical_mass]

and im being serious saying that not saracastic! haha

[Fernando]

https://www.606v2.com/t21985-f1-picture-quiz

Get involved in the last round we have a prize

[Alessandro Ciambella]

If the prize is a quick lap with Lewis Hamilton then I choose life!!!

[Critical_mass]

i dont get it......

[Fernando]

If the prize is a quick lap with Lewis Hamilton then I choose life!!!

It's much better then that and behave Alessandro we've talked about this before

[Alessandro Ciambella]

Much better than that?

Does it involve Jenson Button MBE? OR SEÑOR DIAZ HIMSELF!!!!!!?

[Critical_mass]

Yeah if you win its a 1 night stay in a 5 star hotel with either JB or FA - champagne, strawberries, black satin ;-) haha

Just teasing

[Fernando]

Yeah if you win its a 1 night stay in a 5 star hotel with either JB or FA - champagne, strawberries, black satin ;-) haha

Just teasing

[Alessandro Ciambella]

Teasing? I hope so. I don't like strawberries, I prefer Mangos!!

[Critical_mass]

When i said "you" i meant AC, not just generally haha.

[Critical_mass]

so come on Fernando give us a little clue as to what the prize could be.

[Fernando]

it involves motorsport

[dyrewolfe]

A pair of tickets for a round of banger racing at Kings Lynn?

[Fernando]

A pair of tickets for a round of banger racing at Kings Lynn?

Not far wrong but more intriguing then that

[Alessandro Ciambella]

More intriguing than banger racing? I don't know if there is a thing...

Is it tickets to the Scalextric World Championships at Alton Towers?

[Fernando]

More intriguing than banger racing? I don't know if there is a thing...

Is it tickets to the Scalextric World Championships at Alton Towers?

No


Malaysia Qualifying spoilers below!!

[dyrewolfe]

Woo hoo! Another front row lockout for McLaren, Hamilton making it 2 poles from 2 races. Looked a bit dicey for Button, pushed down to 8th at one point, but he pulled out a lap just a few hundredths short of his team mate right at the end.

Intriguingly Schumacher qualifies fractionally behind Button in 3rd. Wonder how much of that was to do with their ducted DRS? Then again Rosberg was rather disappointing, finishing well down in 8th.

Webber again outqualifies Vettel. He starts 4th while Seb will have to make do with 6th.

In between them wass Kimi Raikkonen. Shame about his 5-place penalty for changing gearbox, otherwise he'd have had a great chance of a podium. Still, even starting 10th he should pick up some handy points. Decent job from Grosjean who will start 7th.

Another disappointing quali for Ferrari, Alonso struggling to a lowly 9th. Expect him to finish higher up, but he's got his work cut out for him, given the drivers ahead of him.

Expecting an almighty scrap from 3rd to 10th. Should make for a highly entertaining race, even if the 2 McLarens run off into the distance.

[The Special Juan]

How long has it been since Vettel wasn't top of the drivers championship? Before the start of the last race of 2010?

[Fernando]

I don't think anyone will go off into the distance, Hamilton's race will be decided by if he can stay 1st after the first couple of corners otherwise id fear for what will happen with his tyres with the degradation here.

Id expect Mercedes won't be as strong in the race but Vettel could be one to watch due to Prime tyres and gives them a chance to go alot longer which would help if it's going to rain.

[Alessandro Ciambella]

Was it Tyres? I thought both Mclarens were terribly underfuelled...

[Fernando]

Was it Tyres? I thought both Mclarens were terribly underfuelled...

Wrong race thread you need Australia not Malaysia

[Alessandro Ciambella]

Sorry, I misread your previous post!

Regards Vettel and Webber and the split strategy;-

I get the feeling that Red Bull have given Vettel the better option here. They know he is going to be stuck in traffic and giving him the option to push on after everybody has pitted on the softer compound could be a good option. Will he loose out on the under cut?

They did it a lot with Webber last year when he was badly out if position. I feel Mark Webber has lost out again within Team Red Bull.

[Fernando]

No idea what's going on at Ferrari but atleast Felipe is picking up pace only being 0.3 behind Alonso but unfortunately going out anyway .

I don't think they thought very well when they put a pull rod suspension on the car their's a reason other teams don't use it.

Despite what RB say and do Webber will always be no.2 due to his age because they see Vettel as the future.

[Uryu Ishida]

ugh..David Haye at the grid....get off any broadcast you idiot.

[Uryu Ishida]

saftey car due to rain / electrical storm

poor Grosjean

[dyrewolfe]

Race red flagged. Might be another Canada.

Nice pit work from McLaren and Red Bull at the earlier Safety Car. Was shaping up for an exciting duel between Hamilton and Button. Lets hope the rain eases up soon.

Great quote from Button over the radio: "Sector 3 is a lake..."

[Uryu Ishida]

karthikeyan decent place though

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Rain

[Uryu Ishida]

Rain

CANADA!!!

arent there new rules involving things like this?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Why does Sky not have Georgie Thompson in the lead presenter role??

[mystiroakey]

bah- that was a mclarean 1 2 if it didnt stop- will the break alter the outcome!!

[dyrewolfe]

Rain

CANADA!!!

arent there new rules involving things like this?

Yep, now the race can't run over 4 hours. Regardless of what happens, proceedings WILL end by 1:00 at the very latest.

[Uryu Ishida]

Rain

CANADA!!!

arent there new rules involving things like this?

Yep, now the race can't run over 4 hours. Regardless of what happens, proceedings WILL end by 1:00 at the very latest.

thought so

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

It's right royally pissing it down

[Uryu Ishida]

It's right royally pissing it down

did Gary Anderson predict an Olivier Panis Race?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

It's right royally pissing it down

did Gary Anderson predict an Olivier Panis Race?

[dyrewolfe]

Even if it does stop raining in time, there is a possibility the race could be halted for bad light.

Anyone know if there are new rules in place regarding scoring? Before, unless a certain percentage of the race distance had been completed, drivers were only awarded half points. Is this still the case?

[Uryu Ishida]

Even if it does stop raining in time, there is a possibility the race could be halted for bad light.

Anyone know if there are new rules in place regarding scoring? Before, unless a certain percentage of the race distance had been completed, drivers were only awarded half points. Is this still the case?

i believe so

[eirebilly]

Got to love Monsoon season

[mystiroakey]

so half points only for mnclaren if they dont go back out! better than nothing- lewis would get half a win lol

[HERSH]

Formula farce.

At lest Bernie has lined his pockets with yet more cash, roll on the real F1 races in Europe.

[dyrewolfe]

Charlie Whiting has signalled the race will be resumed in 15 minutes!

[Uryu Ishida]

monsoons....

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