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| The 'My Formula One' Star Of Today's Show |
It started to rain 15 minutes before the start of the race. The question was on everyone’s mind was, will there be rain for the start of the race and will there be a safety car start?
Charlie Whiting couldn't decide whether to have a safety car start, the teams couldn't decide on the tyre options. They thought the race could be delayed. It was a confusing lead up to the race for all the teams and race officials.
The cars started the formation lap on intermediate tyres. Both HRT's were on the full wets, however, the HRT of Pedro De La Rosa had to be wheeled into the pits as his HRT wouldn't start. The team managed to get started so he joined the race.
It stopped raining on the formation lap. All the teams started on intermediates.
There was a great start by Grosjean who made it up to 3rd place but soon lost it and went down to 5th. Then he went and hit Michael Schumacher and both cars spun, Schumacher ended up down in 12th. It looked like it was Romain's fault from the replay, but that's not my decision.
By lap 3 it was Hamilton, Button, Webber running as the top 3.
Felipe Massa put on full wets on lap 4. All the teams watched his times and it became obvious that they were the tyres to be on. Grosjean race ended as he hit standing water at turn 6 and ended up in the gravel
On lap 5 Button and Alonso went in for full wets. Button started has started putting in fast lap times, so on lap 6 the other top drivers came in for full wets.
After all the pit stops the lead was kept by Hamilton. Button with warmer wet tyres tried to overtake but pulled out of it, probably because of the spray which was immense.
The safety car came out on lap 7 because the rain was so heavy and in the last sector it was like a lake.
The top 5 order under the safety car was Hamilton, Button, Perez, Webber and Alonso, all these drivers have made a pit stop. The only drivers in the top 10 who haven't stopped are Vergne who is still on intermediates and Karthikeyan in the HRT who had the foresight to start the race on wets, I never thought I'd be saying that a HRT was running in the top 10. Schumacher is down in 15th under the safety car.
On lap 9 the race was red flagged. Most of the teams had special gazebo's over their cars on the grid, obviously they've learnt a lesson from Canada last year.
The race started again at 10:15 GMT under the safety car. During the red flag period we learned that Raikkonen had a problem with his KERS. When I say race, I mean the cars started to go round with the safety car, this meant that there can be no overtaking under the safety car. The big issue for everyone at this point is when to come in for the intermediates. Turn 15 had standing water so the safety car is obviously going to wait until there is a decent dry racing line.
On lap 14 the safety car went in and we got racing again. Pedro De La Rosa's day went from bad to worse as he got a drive through penalty because of a member of the team was still on the grid when he shouldn't have been.
I lost my satellite signal until lap 16, this is why I am not a fan of the Sky deal for this season. More on that in a report later.
As my signal came back Fernando Alonso is in the lead with Perez 2nd and Hamilton has fallen to 3rd. Jenson Button had crashed and had a puncture and a damaged front wing so had to go back in the pits.
Now, Button is in last position, the last time that happened he won, in Canada. On lap 18 Button did the fastest lap of the race and is now 20th but more importantly he is over 40 seconds behind.
On lap 20 DRS has been enabled, that should help Button to get back up the field. You may have noticed that I am now writing this in the same style as the qualifying report. Live writing, more like a report.
I can't risk pausing the Sky coverage again.
Alonso still leads the race, with Perez 4 seconds behind. Vettel has just used his DRS to go into 4th as he passes Rosberg in the Mercedes. I expected the Mercedes to be faster on the straight and be able to defend better. On lap 23 Rosberg got caught again in the same place, this time it was Raikkonen who took 5th place.
On lap 25 Button pits again and puts a different set of intermediates on as he couldn't get heat into the tyres he had.
Rosberg must be having issues as he has now been passed by Webber. We are now on lap 26 and Perez makes a fastest lap. Massa has just been taken by Vergne who is up to 9th. Senna is having a great run at the moment in the Williams, he's in 9th now. Massa pits on lap 28, and comes out in 16th.
Karthikeyan has now fallen down to 22nd, a more familiar position than 10th. Hamilton in 3rd is closing in on Perez but he is around 7 seconds behind.
Alonso and Perez are having a great race, they keep putting in personal bests. They are driving the soul out of their cars. The other Sauber with Kobyashi has just overtaken the Mercedes of Schumacher.
The weather forecast says that there will be showers in a couple of minutes, we are now on lap 32. Button has got himself up to 17th, next up for him is Massa. We are more than half way through the race, how far can Button go?
Perez has set another fastest lap of the race on lap 32. The problem is that the track is nearly dry enough for the slicks but the weather forecast says rain on the way. Button is struggling to get past Massa.
Button has just taken Massa in a brilliant overtaking move. Wheel to wheel with Ricciardo involved too.
At the front, Perez is catching the Ferrari of Alonso who is currently in 1st place.
The Caterham of Petrov is in 15th and having a great race, he's currently on lap 37 is Buttons next victim potentially, he kept him behind for a while but couldn't keep him behind for too long. We all know what Button is like in the rain..
Lap 38 and Ricciardo pits for slicks. Lets see what happens now. All the teams are watching his times and and the weather forecast.
Perez is now close to Alonso now, can he get close enough.
The teams are starting to gamble by putting on slicks. Webber, Hamilton, Senna and more have gone onto slicks. Alonso goes into the pits but Perez doesn't, he stays on intermediates. If it does rain, Perez will be on for a win, if it doesn't he will fall down. On lap 42 Perez does pit for slicks.
Maldonado has just set a fastest lap. By staying out for an extra lap, instead of being in the mirrors of Alonso he is about 4 seconds behind.
I've just said that about Perez, but he is catching Alonso now, and catching him fast.
Bruno Senna, has just used his DRS and overtaken Paul Di Resta to move into 7th in his Williams. Senna is having a great race.
Perez has just been held up by a HRT who wouldn't move off the racing line. He is now just 2.7 seconds behind. It's crazy, especially for me, I've criticised the Ferrari and it's winning, I said that Sauber would be the victim of Caterham moving up the world championship, looks like someone else will be the victim.
Lap 48 Vettel gets a left rear puncture and had to pit, caused yet again by a HRT.
Perez is now in the DRS zone of Alonso, can Perez do it. He didn't manage it on lap 50. I hear Kobayashi has now retired. Perez has went wide but has lost so much time, he is now 5 seconds behind, what a shame for the lad.
Senna is now 6th and Maldonado is 10th, how's that for Williams, following last season. Let's see where they finish. Vettel and Button are not making up time, so they are not likely to get any points today. No repeat of Canada from Button who is currently 4th.
There are 4 laps left, it's not likely that Perez will catch Alonso now.
Maldonado is trying to catch Hulkenberg in the Force India, but in the DRS zone, the Force India seemed to have more straight line speed.
Raikkonen in his Lotus has just set the fastest lap. He is in 5th at the moment.,
I really can't believe Mercedes in this race, they are so fast, I suppose it's the rain.
Final lap has just started and Alonso has a 2 second gap so should win it.
Over the finish line Fernando Alonso wins, a great 2nd place for Sergio Perez and Hamilton finished in 3rd place for the second week in a succession.
This has been an exciting race, totally unpredictable. Fantastic to see a Sauber driver on the podium. There were some good overtaking moves, and in all honesty Perez could have won the race if he hadn't made that mistake. I was disappointed with Mercedes, as I thought they would have done so much better. The Lotus of Raikkonen looked strong and so did Grosjean's for the short time he was on track. I have to be honest and say I am disappointed with HRT, nothing to do with positions etc, the problem is that they caused two major issues in my opinion. They caused Button to have to pit with a puncture and a new nose, they also did the same to Vettel who had a rear puncture. Sorry to criticise but this is a website written by a fan, for fans. The race though was outstanding. Well done Sauber, My Formula One are proud of you. Sorry for doubting you in my season preview. I officially change my mind and say that someone else will fall down a place in the championship for Caterham to move up. Both Caterham cars finished the race today, and in decent positions. Not quite in the points yet, but as the season progresses they will get there. Here are the final standings;
Malaysian Grand Prix Final Result
| Pos. | Driver | Team |
| 1 | Alonso | Ferrari |
| 2 | Perez | Sauber |
| 3 | Hamilton | McLaren |
| 4 | Webber | Red Bull |
| 5 | Raikkonen | Lotus |
| 6 | Senna | Williams |
| 7 | Di Resta | Force India |
| 8 | Vergne | Toro Rosso |
| 9 | Hulkenberg | Force India |
| 10 | Schumacher | Mercedes |
| 11 | Vettel | Red Bull |
| 12 | Ricciardo | Toro Rosso |
| 13 | Rosberg | Mercedes |
| 14 | Button | McLaren |
| 15 | Massa | Ferrari |
| 16 | Petrov | Caterham |
| 17 | Glock | Marussia |
| 18 | Kovalainen | Caterham |
| 19 | Maldonado | Williams |
| 20 | Pic | Marussia |
| 21 | Karthikeyan | HRT |
| 22 | De La Rosa | HRT |
| 23 | Kobayashi | Sauber (Retired) |
| 24 | Grosjean | Lotus (Retired) |
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