Malaysian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

We're hoping everyone enjoyed the second race week of the 2015 season. It was quite the race and it's time to jump into our re-cap.

It was an unfortunate start for Manor as Will Stevens was unable to start the race due to a fuel system issue that the team was unable to fix in time. However, Roberto Merhi was able to race, thus beginning Manor's first GP start this season.

When the lights went out, Sebastian Vettel and Nico Rosberg were eager to gain a lead over Lewis Hamilton as fast as they could and it was Vettel who was able to complete the challenge, making an easy pass early on and taking the lead of the race.

On lap 2, the first retirement of the race was Marcus Ericsson, who'd had a good run in Australia. The Swedish driver spun off the track and got stuck in the gravel. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to get out and his Sauber had to be taken back to the pits.

Daniil Kvyat had a battle with Nico Hulkenberg that saw the Russian driver gaining some air. Nico Hulkenberg was later penalized for the accident, recieving a 10-Second penalty which he later served during a pit-stop. It was the same penalty that team-mate, Sergio Perez served for an accident involving him and Grosjean. Grosjean had tried to pass Perez and ended up spinning across the track after the two cars touched. Both were able to finish the race none the less.

Alonso was the second to retire, on lap 20 due to an ERS issue, leaving Button as the lone McLaren on track. But, unfortunately Button retired 20 laps later with a Turbo failure. It's been a bumpy start for McLaren-Honda, but the team is confident they can rise by mid-season.

The battle between Hamilton, Rosberg and Vettel continued as the three switched positions between pit-stops and quick passes. By the late stages of the race, it was clear Vettel had the advantage and was about to take Ferrari to their first Victory in nearly two years.

Pastor Maldonado was forced to retire on lap 46 with a brake problem. His team-mate Grosjean finished 11th, missing the points by one position.

In the end, Sebastian Vettel brought home the win and an emotional one at that. Hamilton crossed the finish line in Second, with Rosberg following in a close third. Max Verstappen also became the youngest driver ever to score points in their rookie season, finishing in 7th place.

Here are the final results -

RACE RESULTS:

1. Sebastian Vettel  / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany + 25 Points
2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 18 Points
3. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / +15 Points
4. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / + 12 Points
5. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / + 10 Points
6. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 8 Points
7. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands / + 6 Points
8. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / + 4 Points
9. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia / + 2 Points
10. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia / + 1 Point
11. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France
12. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
13. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
14. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany
15. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain 
RETIRED - Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela / Brakes
RETIRED - Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain / Turbo Failure
RETIRED - Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain / ERS Issue
RETIRED - Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / Spun-Off
DID NOT START - Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain / Fuel System

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Malaysian GP: Qualifying - Results

It's race day at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia and it's time to look at how the grid will line up just hours from now for the second race of the season.

Romain Grosjean was handed a 2-place-grid-penalty for a pit-lane infraction, so he'll now start 10th instead of 8th.

Manor-Ferrari was cleared to race by the FIA after neither driver set a time within 107% of the fastest time in Q1. Stevens was unable to set a time at all due to car issues.

GRID:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

2. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

3. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany

4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia

5. Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia

6. Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands

7. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil

8. Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland ^

9. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden ^

10. Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France 

11. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

12. Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela

13. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany

14. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

15. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain

16. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil

17. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

18. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Honda / Spain

19. Roberto Merhi / Manor-Ferrari / Spain

20. Will Stevens / Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain

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Malaysian GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

Last practice session done and complete and next up is Qualifying. Not too much to go over in this session. Quite a few lock-ups and spins but nothing too serious.

Jenson Button has had an engine change, but yesterday the engine allowance has been raised back to 5 from the originally planned 4.

Here are the times from this session:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:39.690 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:39.874 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:40.245 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Sebastian Vettel - 1:40.266 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Felipe Massa - 1:40.391 / Williams-Mercedes

6. Valtteri Bottas - 1:40.406 / Williams-Mercedes

7. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:40.590 / Red Bull-Renault

8. Carlos Sainz - 1:40.601 / Toro Rosso-Renault

9. Max Verstappen - 1:40.989 / Toro Rosso-Renault 

10. Marcus Ericsson - 1:41.200 / Sauber-Ferrari

11. Romain Grosjean - 1:41.206 / Lotus-Mercedes

12. Pastor Maldonado - 1:41.592 / Lotus-Mercedes

13. Daniil Kvyat - 1:41.776 / Red Bull-Renault

14. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:41.804 / Force India-Mercedes

15. Fernando Alonso - 1:41.991 / McLaren-Honda

16. Sergio Perez - 1:42.100 / Force India-Mercedes

17. Felipe Nasr - 1:42.117 / Sauber-Ferrari

18. Jenson Button - 1:42.319 / McLaren-Honda

19. Roberto Merhi - 1:46.647 / Manor-Ferrari

20. Will Stevens - 1:47.059 / Manor-Ferrari

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Malaysian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

Free Practice 2 is now done and complete and the teams will be preparing for tomorrow when the drivers go out for the last practice session before Qualifying.

Lewis Hamilton was able to get out in this session after engine issues hampered his running in FP1. He ended this session fastest, which is great result for him and the Mercedes team.

Grosjean was out early with mechanical issues, so he didn't get much running in, in this session. His team-mate Maldonado finished 11th.

There was a Red Flag in this session when Roberto Merhi spun out at Turn 11 and got stranded in the gravel trap. Merhi was not injured and was able to get out of the car on his own. The session was resumed after the Manor was returned to the pits. Sebastian Vettel had near-similar spin there awhile later but was able to restart his car and get back on track.

Here are the times from this session:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:39.790 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:40.163 / Ferrari-Ferrari

3. Nico Rosberg - 1:40.218 / Mercedes-Mercedes

4. Daniil Kvyat - 1:40.346 / Red Bull-Renault

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:40.450 / Williams-Mercedes

6. Felipe Massa - 1:40.560 / Williams-Mercedes

7. Sebastian Vettel - 1:40.652 / Ferrari-Ferrari

8. Max Verstappen - 1:41.220 / Toro Rosso-Renault

9. Marcus Ericsson - 1:41.261 / Sauber-Ferrari

10. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:41.799 / Red Bull-Renault

11. Pastor Maldonado - 1:41.877 / Lotus-Mercedes

12. Felipe Nasr - 1:41.988 / Sauber-Ferrari

13. Sergio Perez - 1:42.242 / Force India-Mercedes

14. Carlos Sainz - 1:42.291 / Toro Rosso-Renault

15. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.330 / Force India-Mercedes

16. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.506 / McLaren-Honda

17. Jenson Button - 1:42.637 / McLaren-Honda

18. Romain Grosjean - 1:42.948 / Lotus-Mercedes

19. Will Stevens - 1:45.704 / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - 1:47.229 / Manor-Ferrari

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Malaysian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

Not a bad first practice session at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. Not many problems for the drivers, except for Lewis Hamilton, who was unable to get any proper running in due to an engine problem. He sat out the majority of the session and it is unknown at this point if he will be able to participate in FP2. It's looking like he might need an engine change, which is a shame as his current engine is fresh.

Both Alonso and Bottas got on track after injuries kept them from racing in the Australian GP. Alonso also cleared up a lot of questions surrounding his accident in Barcelona, during the Drivers Press Conference yesterday.

Raffaele Marciello was in for Felipe Nasr in the Sauber for this session, racking up laps and experience with the Swiss Team. Nasr will be back for FP2.

Manor also made their track debut after being unable to do any running during the Australian GP weekend. Great to see them out on track and making good progress.

Here are the times from the Session:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:40.124 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:40.497 / Ferrari-Ferrari
3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:40.985 / Ferrari-Ferrari
4. Romain Grosjean - 1:41.543 / Lotus-Mercedes
5. Carlos Sainz - 1:41.596 / Toro Rosso-Renault
6. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:41.787 / Red Bull-Renault
7. Max Verstappen - 1:41.803 / Toro Rosso-Renault
8. Valtteri Bottas - 1:41.882 / Williams-Mercedes
9. Daniil Kvyat - 1:42.055 / Red Bull-Renault
10. Marcus Ericsson - 1:42.064 / Sauber-Ferrari
11. Felipe Massa - 1:42.103 / Williams-Mercedes
12. Pastor Maldonado - 1:42.567 / Lotus-Mercedes
13. Raffaele Marciello - 1:42.621 / Sauber-Ferrari
14. Fernando Alonso - 1:42.885 / McLaren-Honda
15. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:42.893 / Force India-Mercedes
16. Sergio Perez - 1:43.054 / Force India-Mercedes
17. Jenson Button - 1:43.100 / McLaren-Honda
18. Will Stevens - 1:46.686 / Manor-Ferrari
19. Roberto Merhi - 1:47.683 / Manor Ferrari
20. Lewis Hamilton - No Time Set / Mercedes-Mercedes

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

Preview Quotes: McLaren

Fernando Alonso - "I watched the weekend in Australia very closely and I was in touch with the team from the moment they arrived. It’s clear we have a lot of work ahead of us but Jenson’s result in Melbourne was encouraging from the point of view of reliability and data collection, which are extremely important. I’d also like to say thanks to Kevin for his efforts over the weekend, and it’s a real shame he wasn’t able to get to the grid. 

"I’ve been working hard on my fitness and I feel good and ready to go this weekend. The heat in Malaysia is always very tough for the drivers but I’ve been focusing on this in my training and I’m definitely prepared for all of the weather conditions that we can face in Sepang. This track has always been one of my favourites, it’s a really exciting circuit to drive and there’s the opportunity for good overtaking battles between the straights and the fast corners. I’ve won three times in Malaysia, including in 2007 with McLaren, and although we are a long way from the front, everyone in McLaren-Honda is working hard to develop the package and keep building momentum with each race. The weekend will be tough, but I’m looking forward to getting into the MP4-30 for the first time in a Grand Prix and getting back to racing. I’ve spent some time in the simulator back at the factory with the team, and my focus will be on continuing the development of our package with my engineers, and working on our balance and race set-up. There’s a lot of potential in the car and we will keep pushing every race until we see results." 

Jenson Button - "Melbourne was certainly a challenging weekend for us, but there were positives to take from it. A lot of our performance was largely unknown coming into the weekend given the limited running we had over winter testing. Despite our finishing position, getting to the chequered flag has meant that we’re now armed with much more data about our package and we can learn a huge amount from it. Of course, nobody can be happy with finishing at the back of the pack, and we know there is a lot to do to bridge the gap to the rest of the field. However, the work going on within McLaren-Honda both in Woking and Sakura is relentless; the whole team is working tirelessly to keep developing our package to ensure we keep making steady progress.

Malaysia will be another tricky step in the learning process for us. It’s often an unpredictable race and the extreme temperatures will test our car and tyres to limits that they haven’t been exposed to yet in testing. With the possibility of rain added to the mix, it will be interesting to see how our car behaves in changeable conditions. Our aim is to maximize our mileage throughout the whole weekend. Sepang itself is a fantastic circuit - I love going there and I have memories of great battles there and of my win in 2009. It’s a real favourite among the drivers owing to its high-speed corners, long straights and plenty of overtaking opportunities. The heat is always pretty brutal, but it’s definitely a good test of a driver’s fitness and a place where our tough training regime always pays off!"

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Manor

Preview Quotes: Manor/Marussia


Will Stevens - “It’s great to be heading to Malaysia in the knowledge that we are in a different place to our situation in Melbourne. Sepang is a fantastic and very technical track, so it will be a good test of our package. I’m really excited about being able to begin the development programme and to start to understand what we have and where we are in relation to the competition.”

Roberto Merhi - “I’m very excited about the prospect of making my F1 debut in Malaysia. Obviously Sepang is a challenging environment, so I have been doing all I can on my side to prepare for that to be able to manage the heat and humidity. The last race weekend was disappointing for everyone in the team, but I know how much work has gone into getting us fully operational again and it will be great for everyone to finally see wheels turning.”

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

Preview Quotes: Williams


Valtteri Bottas - "As always, Malaysia is a very hot and humid race, and although these aren't the ideal conditions for the car we have had some exciting races in Sepang over the years. There is also always a risk of rain which we have to be aware of, but it brings some more spice in the suspense. After Melbourne I have stayed in Asia to acclimatise to the hot conditions and adjust to the right time zone. I trained a lot over the winter to prepare for these physically difficult conditions. After such a frustrating Sunday in Australia, I have taken the necessary measures to make sure I arrive in Malaysia fit to race and ready to bring the results home."

Felipe Massa - "Malaysia is always very hot and very humid, so very difficult physically for the drivers. The car also has its challenges as the temperature plays its part, so our cooling is very important. The rain is an issue as it always rains at the time of day when the race is, but we will be prepared for it. I have trained very hard in the heat just for this race and cardio has been important."

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

Preview Quotes: Sauber


Marcus Ericsson - “After the great result in Melbourne, it feels good going to Malaysia. I know the track quite well from GP2 and also from last year in Formula One. For me it is quite an interesting circuit with many medium and high-speed corners, which are quite demanding for the tyres. The Malaysian Grand Prix is one of the toughest on the calendar, because of the high humidity and heat. It means you need to be in good physical shape, and I am sure I am. I have been training very hard over the winter, and before the race in Sepang I have spent one week at a training camp in Thailand getting acclimatized to the humidity. I am sure I will be one hundred percent ready when I get to Malaysia. Another aspect which comes into play is that we often have the risk of heavy rain there, so the races are usually quite exciting. I hope we can build on the progress we have made in Melbourne, and have another good race weekend.”

Felipe Nasr - “I am really looking forward to the Malaysian Grand Prix. It will be easier for me to approach this race weekend, as I know the track quite well from previous racing series, which was not the case in Melbourne. Looking back to our winter tests, I am confident that the layout of the track in Malaysia can suit our car. After a successful season opener in Melbourne, I think the Malaysian Grand Prix can be one of the races we can look forward to. The track consists of some long straights and fasts corners, so I would expect a bigger tyre degradation. On the other hand, it is positive that our car seems to have a decent straight line speed, but I think some more down force could help us to gain time in the high-speed corners. Overall, I am looking forward to my second race of the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship.”

Raffaele Marciello (Test & Reserve Driver - Driving in FP#1) - “It will be exciting to drive the Sauber C34-Ferrari for the first time (in FP1). That will also be the same for the Italians, as we have not had an Italian driver in Formula One for quite a few years. I will definitely enjoy the experience, and I am really looking forward to it. I am confident I can do a good job as well as supporting the team in order to find a set-up for the car which suits the track. I have never been to Malaysia before, but I know the track quite well from the Ferrari simulator in Maranello, and I am sure I can get to learn it fast once I drive there. As the circuit has some fast corners, I think the car’s down force will be crucial. Another important aspect will be the weather, as the humidity, along with the temperatures, is quite high. From a driver’s perspective it will be a challenge, but this is the same for everyone. Together with my trainer, I am getting well prepared for this weekend.“

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes: Force India


Nico Hulkenberg - "I am really looking forward to getting back to action in Sepang after a fairly positive start of the season. We knew the VJM08's reliability was one of our strong points and we were able to play that card well. We didn't make any mistakes and we had a good strategy, and that helped us capitalize on a day when others ran into trouble. We need to keep our feet on the ground, however, because we know the circumstances in which we got this result and we know the next races will be tough. The track in Sepang is quite challenging and is very different compared to Melbourne. The various sectors have unique characteristics: there is a nice variation of high and low-speed corners and two very long straights. You need to balance your setup between top speed and down force to make the most of your car in each of them. The high temperatures and humidity add to the challenges of this track, and you always have a threat of rain, especially at the start of the race."

Sergio Perez - "Malaysia is a very special place for me. It is where I got my first podium in Formula One, in one of the best races of my career in 2012, so I will always have happy memories about this circuit. The track is really interesting and the three sectors each have their own character. The track is physical but it has some very technical parts as well. You also have some very long straights at the end of the lap that offer a lot of opportunities for overtaking. The weather always makes it interesting. When you are racing in Sepang it is something that is always in the back of your mind, because you know a sudden rainstorm can throw up some unexpected strategies and opportunities you can exploit. The heat and the humidity are a big challenge, but as a driver you are prepared for this. You work really hard during the pre-season and every day with your trainer to be at your best in these circumstances, so I know I am ready.

I am looking forward to going racing again after our first run in Melbourne. We are still learning a lot about the full potential of the VJM08 and every time we hit the track we are going to find some improvements. We are aware of the work needed to make our car more competitive, but we also know it is going to take time. The car feels really promising but it needs development and I look forward to getting some upgrades soon."

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Mercedes

Preview Quotes: Mercedes

Lewis Hamilton - "Australia was a great way to start. To pick up where we left off last year was awesome. But if 2014 showed anything, it’s that putting together a whole season is never easy. Winning the first race is just one small step in a long journey and I’m not reading anything into it. The next step is Malaysia and that’s all I’ve been focusing on since we left Melbourne. I can’t wait to get back out there and I can’t wait to get to Sepang. It’s a great circuit, a home race for Petronas and a country I really enjoy going to. The people are so welcoming and the support we had there as a team last year was amazing. Of course, the race itself is really tough with the heat and humidity. But I feel ready for anything right now and the aim is to repeat last year’s performance. It took me eight attempts to win this race when I finally made it to the top step last year and I don’t plan on waiting that long again…"

Nico Rosberg - "Melbourne was a mega weekend for the team. To start off the year with such dominance was just amazing and the team really did an incredible job. Of course, I’m disappointed not to have repeated my win from 2014 – but Lewis was on top form and it’s up to me to find that little bit extra. It’s all set up to be another great battle between us this year and I’m ready for the fight. Hopefully we will also have some other competitors pushing us as hard as we push each other, as this would be great for the sport. But, either way, I really hope we can put on a great show for everyone watching at home and also for the Malaysian fans, who are always such great hosts. It would be perfect to get another strong result in front of our friends from Petronas and that’s definitely the target – so long as the order of the top two is reversed, of course! I’m also particularly looking forward to welcoming our special guest Mr. Vettel to the Friday engineering meeting. I’m sure we will all learn a few interesting things for the weekend…"

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

Preview Quotes: Red Bull

Daniel Ricciardo - "I'm feeling good going to the next race, I know we have a lot of things to improve on and I'm optimistic that we can achieve some of those in Malaysia, which will give us some more performance. I'm just hanging out waiting to drive now, but it's good. The season has started and I think if anyone had any first race jitters they're gone and I think Malaysia should run a lot smoother for everyone. I think once you're in the car it's hard, the work is done before getting in it. Hydration is really, really important and keeps you cooler. The more hydrated you are, the more your body dispatches the heat. And do some heat training before the event to make it feel like it's not as hot, but once you're in the car, it's like a sauna and you can't get out of it."

Daniil Kvyat - "I think the first weekend was challenging, but we learnt many things. Also for me adapting to a new team was crucial. Of course, the race wasn't as I would've liked but it happened this way and now I'm just looking forward to the challenges ahead. It's good Malaysia is so soon. After Australia, I wanted to leave the weekend behind me as soon as possible and start focusing on Malaysia. We have good potential which we will be looking to use and hope to extract. It's an interesting challenging track, there are some high speed sections, and those high speed sections are the most interesting ones. For me, Malaysia means a lot. I won my first single-seater race ever there about five years ago I think, and last year, another points scoring race for me, my second race and second points so it was very good, good memories, but it's a tough race and challenging race for a driver because it's known for being so hot. This is why we train quite hard and get our arses kicked during the winter season by our trainers! Sepang is one of those races where you see where you are in terms of your physical preparation."

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Malaysian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Lotus

Preview Quotes - Lotus

Romain Grosjean - "The first challenges in Malaysia will be the heat, humidity and usual rain storms at 4pm! It’s a good track with some interesting corners, fast straights and a track surface that can sometimes be difficult to understand. The heat and humidity can give the cars and drivers something to think about and the rain can give us all a challenge too. For us as a team, the target is to get some race laps on the board.

Sepang is one of my favourites. It has a great flow to it and there are good overtaking opportunities as well as good potential for an exciting race. It’s a circuit that many drivers like. It’s also an interesting track for the engineers working to get the best set-up for the car to work well. It makes for quite a hard race too, as you have the heat and humidity along with the challenge of the track itself. It’s going to be fun. Our target for the early races is to be regularly in the top ten. We certainly demonstrated that in Albert Park and our race pace simulations were good so if we’d remained in the race we should have finished strongly. There’s nothing to suggest this can’t be the case in Malaysia and we really want to start scoring points.”

Pastor Maldonado - "Sepang is a good track and I really like the challenges it presents. It’s very interesting from an engineering point of view, especially the aerodynamics, but also the tyres because the asphalt is very aggressive. Hopefully the race will be much longer for us than it was in Australia! We know the weather at Sepang can change a lot; in fact it is usually either extreme heat or extreme rain, so very tropical and we’ll need to be ready for everything. Also the high temperatures are hard on the cars in terms of reliability. From the driving point of view it is quite stressful as well. All round, I would say Sepang is one of the toughest races of the year. We’ll need to be strong in all areas."

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Malaysian GP: Circuit Preview

(Image belongs to: travelcie.com - All rights belong to owner)

It's almost time for the second GP weekend of the 2015 F1 season and it's time to take a look at the next location.

"Sepang International Circuit" is located in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia and currently hosts the Malaysian GP. The circuit opened March 7th 1999.

The circuit has a capacity of 80,000 and is 3.444 miles in length. The current style has 15 turns and runs Clockwise. The race consists of 56 laps.

In 2014, it was Lewis Hamilton who started on Pole Position and and also went on to win the race. His team-mate, Nico Rosberg, came in second and Sebastian Vettel in 3rd. One of his last podiums with Infiniti Red Bull Racing.

Retirements included: Sergio Perez (Did Not Start - Gearbox), Pastor Maldonado (Power Unit), Jules Bianchi (Brakes), Jean-Eric Vergne (Turbo), Adrian Sutil (Power Unit), Esteban Gutierrez (Gearbox), and Daniel Ricciardo (Wing Damage)

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Malaysian GP: Schedule

It's almost time for the second race weekend of the season and the teams are packing up and heading to Malaysia. 

SCHEDULE:

March 26th / Thursday

15:00 - Drivers Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

March 27th / Friday

09:00 - 09:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

10:00 - 11:30 - Free Practice #1

13:05 - 13:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:00 - 15:30 - Free Practice #2

16:00 - 17:00 - Principals Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

March 28th / Saturday

10:35 - 11:20 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

10:40 - 11:20 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

14:00 - 15:00 - Free Practice #3

17:00 - Qualifying

March 29th / Sunday

11:00 - 12:00 - Driver Autograph Signing 

13:05 - 14:10 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:30 - Drivers Track Parade

13:45 - 14:15 - Starting Grid Presentation

14:46 - National Anthem

15:00 - Race

(Times are subject to change)

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Feature: Star Drivers Of The Australian GP

Frances Fry (Assistant writer) - "I thought this decision was going to be hard to make and I was right. After long consideration I've decided my driver of the weekend is Carlos Sainz of Toro Rosso. 

The 20 year old rookie not only drove a strong race and crossed the line (which proved challenging for many drivers) but also scored points for his team! The Spaniard additionally qualified with excellent strength after getting into Q3 and setting a time worthy of 8th place on the grid. 

Before the season started I was intrigued by the drivers at Toro Rosso and after seeing the performance put out by them I'm even more excited. Carlos has blown me away and I'm extraordinarily excited to see where he'll be when the season comes to a close."

Amy Hawk (Lead writer & editor) - "My driver of the Australian GP weekend is Felipe Nasr, who is driving for Sauber-Ferrari this year. I know there's only been the opening race, but I can tell he's getting the hang of the car very well. 

I knew he was talented from watching GP2 and seeing him on the podium multiple times, so it was great to hear about him landing a seat this year in F1 and I'm already very impressed with how he's done so far. To finish 5th in your debut F1 race is a great result. He brought points to the team and he drove remarkably. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing how he does in Malaysia."

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Feature: Australian GP - Our Post-Race Quotes

Frances Fry (Assistant Writer) - "The season is back and it's with a bang! Yes! Formula 1, the sport that keeps us going is back, starting in Melbourne with one cracking race! Out of the 18 drivers that qualified only 11 finished. Unfortunately Jenson Button struggled and was the only racer to cross the line without being rewarded with points. 

As expected after testing both Ferrari and Sauber have made massive improvements with their cars storming into the points. The 4 time world champion, Vettel, crossed the line in third place after a little competition from the Williams' throughout the race. The Sauber cars, which completed the 2014 season without a single point earned points from both teams and after the first race, find themselves in 5th place on the leader board. Will they manage to stay there? 

Unfortunately we didn't get to see Manor, who are back after rising from the ashes. I very much look forward to seeing Roberto Merhi and Will Stevens push the car on track. Sadly it won't be to race against long term racetrack rivals, Caterham. 

As far as the race went it was exactly as expected. With teams, pit lane crew and drivers getting back into the swing of it. Mistakes were made but they will be learnt from. The season is set to be an exciting one. Who knows? Maybe another team will even catch Mercedes! All I know is that F1 is back and it feels good!"

Amy Hawk (Lead writer & editor) - "What an exciting start to the season. A bit different than most were expecting, but overall I really loved seeing the cars back on track and racing each other. Obviously there was some drama during the week, between what was going on at Sauber and also Manor not being able to make the track, that was pretty unfortunate.

It's also hard when there's drivers who were unable to be present. Alonso due to his crash in Barcelona and then Valtteri (Bottas), who hurt his back during qualifying. We're wishing them both well and hoping that they'll both be racing in Malayasia next weekend.

It was wonderful to see Sauber score double points, as last year was tricky and the cars struggled with reliability. But this year, the cars are just performing great. I was really impressed with both Nasr and Ericsson. Well done.

Force India and Ferrari also impressed me as well. It's always great to see them in the points and.. It was a relief to see Checo (Perez) and Button both cross the finish line without any car problems after their brief contact at the beginning of the race.

A huge congratulations to Hamilton, Rosberg and Vettel on their podium finish. Can't wait for Malaysia. Cheers."

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Australian GP: Race - Re-Cap & Results

The first race of the year is now over and the teams are now preparing to travel over to Malaysia for the second GP of the 2015 season. Of course, we're getting ready as well - But first it's time for the re-cap of Australia.

It was a very disappointing morning for multiple drivers. Manor unfortunately was unable to race due to not having things ready in time and Valtteri Bottas was ruled unfit to start the race. 30 minutes before race start, both Kevin Magnussen and Daniil Kvyat suffered mechanical issues that kept them from starting the race as well. For Magnussen it was an engine issue while for Kvyat it was a gearbox problem.

When the lights went out and the race started, it only took one lap before we were yellow-flagged. Maldonado was hit at the back of his Lotus and spun out into the barriers, therefore ending his race on lap 1. When the race resumed, we saw Romain Grosjean retire as well due to a loss of power, making it a double DNF for Lotus.

Jenson Button and Sergio Perez had an early battle as they tried to pass each other and aim for points. While doing so, the two collided and the Force India went for a minor spin. Luckily, Perez was able to keep the car going and reported to the team that he didn't think he had any damage to the car. Button escaped without damage as well.

The next retirement was young rookie, Max Verstappen. After a pit-stop, he reported on the radio that the car was filling with smoke. He was told to turn the car off and get out. It was an unfortunate end to his race as he was up there in the points and doing well. However, safety is more important than a handful of points and any F1 fan knows that smoke in the car is not a good sign.

Kimi Raikkonen was the last driver to retire and with only a few laps to go. After a lengthy pit-stop, one of the crew didn't fasten one of the rear-tyres on completely and he ended up having to pull over, ending his race. It was an unsafe release but after the race, the FIA called for no further action to be taken.

It was a very good day for Sauber, as both drivers finished in the points, which is a great relief to the team after scoring no points in 2014. This year looks much different as the car is showing improved speed and reliability.

Force India also doing well so far with Hulkenberg finishing 7th and Perez 10th to grab that last championship point.

In the end, it was Lewis Hamilton who brought home the first win of the season, with team-mate Nico Rosberg in 2nd and Sebastian Vettel in 3rd.

Here are the final results from the race:

1. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain / + 25 Points

2. Nico Rosberg / Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany / + 18 Points

3. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany / + 15 Points

4. Felipe Massa / Williams-Mercedes / Brazil / + 12 Points

5. Felipe Nasr / Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil / + 10 Points

6. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull-Renault / Australia / + 8 Points

7. Nico Hulkenberg / Force India-Mercedes / Germany / + 6 Points

8. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden / + 4 Points

9. Carlos Sainz / Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain / + 2 Points

10. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / 1 Point

11. Jenson Button / McLaren-Honda / Great Britain

RETIRED - Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland / Loose Wheel

RETIRED - Max Verstappen / Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands / Engine Failure

RETIRED - Romain Grosjean / Lotus-Mercedes / France / Loss Of Power

RETIRED - Pastor Maldonado / Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela / Accident

DID NOT START - Daniil Kvyat / Red Bull-Renault / Russia / Gearbox Failure

DID NOT START - Kevin Magnussen / McLaren-Honda / Denmark / Engine 

DID NOT START - Valtteri Bottas / Williams-Mercedes / Finland / Back Injury

DID NOT START - Manor Racing-Ferrari 

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Australian GP: Qualifying - Results

We're just hours away from race start, so it's time to go over how the grid lines up for the Australian GP. Manor did not take place in Qualifying and it looks unlikely that they will be racing due to not being ready in time. It's quite unfortunate as they've been working really hard. However, they look forward to prepping for Malaysia in just a few weeks.

During Q2, Valtteri Bottas suffered from a back injury and after Q3, was taken to the medical centre for checks and evaluation. It is unknown if he will be racing today as he has spent the night in a local hospital.

Lewis Hamilton has grabbed the first Pole Position of the year, with Nico Rosberg starting in Second and Massa in Third. Here's the rest of the grid:

1. Lewis Hamilton - Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
2. Nico Rosberg - Mercedes-Mercedes / Germany
3. Felipe Massa - Williams-Mercedes / Brazil
4. Sebastian Vettel - Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
5. Kimi Raikkonen - Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
6. Valtteri Bottas - Williams-Meredes / Finland
7. Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull-Renault / Australia
8. Carlos Sainz - Toro Rosso-Renault / Spain
9. Romain Grosjean - Lotus-Mercedes / France
10. Pastor Maldonado - Lotus-Mercedes / Venezuela
11. Felipe Nasr - Sauber-Ferrari / Brazil
12. Max Verstappen - Toro Rosso-Renault / Netherlands
13. Daniil Kvyat - Red Bull-Renault / Russia
14. Nico Hulkenberg - Force India-Mercedes / Germany
15. Sergio Perez - Force India-Mercees / Mexico
16. Marcus Ericsson - Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
17. Jenson Button - McLaren-Honda / Great Britain
18. Kevin Magnussen - McLaren-Honda / Denmark
19. Will Stevens - Manor-Ferrari / Great Britain (Did Not Qualify)
20. Roberto Merhi - Manor-Ferrari / Spain (Did Not Qualify)

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Australian GP: Free Practice 3 - Re-Cap & Results

The last practice session of the GP weekend is now over and it looks like more problems for Red Bull. After replacing Ricciardo's engine yesterday, the Australian's car stopped on track today around halfway through the session. While they were able to get him back out, Kvyat ended up with an engine fire and his session was over early.

McLaren is also facing set-backs with reliability issues. The team has not had a good start to the season and is continuing to struggle through the weekend with few lap times and multiple problems.

Here are the times from the session:

1. Lewis Hamilton - 1:27.867 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Sebastian Vettel - 1:28.563 / Ferrari-Ferrari

3. Nico Rosberg - 1:28.821 / Mercedes-Mercedes

4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:28.912 / Williams-Mercedes

5. Felipe Massa - 1:28.988 / Williams-Mercedes

6. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:29.017 / Ferrari-Ferrari

7. Romain Grosjean - 1:29.481 / Lotus-Mercedes

8. Pastor Maldonado - 1:29.864 / Lotus-Mercedes

9. Carlos Sainz - 1:29.869 / Toro Rosso-Renault

10. Felipe Nasr - 1:29.934 / Sauber-Ferrari

11. Max Verstappen - 1:29.952 / Toro Rosso-Renault

12. Marcus Ericsson - 1:30.613 / Sauber-Ferrari

13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:30.741 / Force India-Mercedes

14. Sergio Perez - 1:30.993 / Force India-Mercedes

15. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:31.185 / Red Bull-Renault

16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:31.391 / McLaren-Honda

17. Jenson Button - 1:31.666 / McLaren-Honda

18. Daniil Kvyat - 1:32.830 / Red Bull-Renault

19. Will Stevens - No Time Set / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - No Time Set / Manor-Ferrari

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Australian GP: Free Practice 2 - Re-Cap & Results

More work and more drama during Free Practice 2 earlier on today. The teams were busy working on the cars, of course, to make sure they were ready and working for the session. Unfortunately, due to mechanical issues, both Massa and Ricciardo missed this session. Massa due to a water leak and Ricciardo due to needing an engine change.

Manor sat out this session as well as they continue to develop and work on their 2015 car. Everyone has to remember that they didn't make it to testing, so they need every bit of time they can get to work on these cars.

Sauber however did get out in this session, with Nasr and Ericsson behind the wheels. Not Van Der Garde, who is still in the midst of a legal battle with Sauber, fighting for a race seat for the Australian Grand Prix this Sunday. However, because he has not obtained a super license, it's looking more like he will race in Malaysia.

McLaren is facing more issues and more work, unfortunately. It's not been a good start for the Honda-powered team. Kevin Magnussen was out of the session early after he made a mistake and crashed into the barriers.

Here are the times from the session:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:27.697 / Mercedes-Mercedes

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:27.797 / Mercedes-Mercedes

3. Sebastian Vettel - 1:28.412 / Ferrari-Ferrari

4. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:28.842 / Ferrari-Ferrari

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:29.265 / Williams-Mercedes

6. Daniil Kvyat - 1:30.016 / Red Bull-Renault

7. Carlos Sainz - 1:30.071 / Toro Rosso-Renault

8. Pastor Maldonado - 1:30.104 / Lotus-Mercedes

9. Romain Grosjean - 1:30.205 / Lotus-Mercedes

10. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:30.473 / Force India-Mercedes

11. Felipe Nasr - 1:30.755 / Sauber-Ferrari

12. Sergio Perez - 1:30.980 / Force India-Mercedes

13. Jenson Button - 1:31.387 / McLaren-Honda

14. Max Verstappen - 1:31.395 / Toro Rosso-Renault

15. Marcus Ericsson - 1:32.303 / Sauber-Ferrari

16. Kevin Magnussen - 1:33.289 / McLaren-Honda

17. Daniel Ricciardo - No Time Set / Red Bull-Renault

18. Felipe Massa - No Time Set / Williams-Mercedes

19. Will Stevens - No Time Set / Manor-Ferrari

20. Roberto Merhi - No Time Set / Manor-Ferrari

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Australian GP: Free Practice 1 - Re-Cap & Results

The first practice session of the 2015 season is now complete and as always, we thank you for joining us on Twitter for our live commentary coverage. Make sure you're following us there @F1Insider78 for live commentary of Free Pratice 2 as well.

Things started off with quite a bit of drama, as over the week, former Caterham driver, Giedo Van Der Garde, is currently fighting for his right to drive for Sauber this weekend. We will of course, have a seperate story on this situation soon. Because of this issue, Sauber was not allowed to take part in this session and the mechanics were not allowed to touch the cars.

Manor Racing, previously known as Marussia, sat out this session and will probably be sitting out FP2 as well. Since the team missed Winter Testing, they are using these sessions to learn more about the cars and make sure they have everything prepped and ready for the race on Sunday.

McLaren-Honda is facing more issues after a very finicky session. They ended it early with mechanical issues to both cars. Just a quick reminder that Kevin Magnussen is in the car for Fernando Alonso this weekend due to the accident that happened during testing.

Romain Grosjean missed this session due to a problem with the floor of the car, which they had to take off and work on. He was able to get out for 4 laps but didn't get to set a time.

The ars are sounding good and things seem to be off to a good start for most, although we are seeing quite a few off-track moments here and there. This is just due to the slickness of the fresh tyres and fresh track surface mixing. The more laps the drivers do, the more the car sticks to the track, allowing for better control.

Here are the times from this session:

1. Nico Rosberg - 1:29.557 / Mercedes-Mercedes
2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:29.586 / Mercedes-Mercedes
3. Valtteri Bottas - 1:30.748 / Williams-Mercedes
4. Carlos Sainz - 1:31.014 / Toro Rosso-Renault
5. Sebastian Vettel - 1:31.029 / Ferrari-Ferrari
6. Max Verstappen - 1:31.067 / Toro Rosso-Renault
7. Felipe Massa - 1:31.188 / Williams-Mercedes
8. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:31.310 / Ferrari-Ferrari
9. Pastor Maldonado - 1:31.451 / Lotus-Mercedes
10. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:31.570 / Red Bull-Renault
11. Daniil Kvyat - 1:32.073 / Red Bull-Renault
12. Sergio Perez - 1:32.261 / Force India-Mercedes
13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:34.542 / Force India-Mercedes
14. Jenson Button - 1:34.785 / McLaren-Honda
15, Kevin Magnussen - 2:17782 / McLaren-Honda
16. Romain Grosjean - No Time Set / Lotus-Mercedes
17. Marcus Ericsson - No Time Set / Sauber-Ferrari
18. Felipe Nasr - No Time Set / Sauber-Ferrari
19. Will Stevens - No Time Set / Manor-Ferrari
20. Roberto Merhi - No Time Set / Manor-Ferrari

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk
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Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

Carlos Sainz - “I have never been to Australia, so I am really looking forward to my first visit to the country and the city of Melbourne, because everyone has told me a lot of good things about it. I have never seen the track before, which is partly a street circuit, so, as a newcomer, I think it is likely to be tough. It will also be the biggest time change I have ever experienced, so I will be heading out there nice and early to deal with any potential jet lag. Overall, I am really excited about these new experiences, particularly the fact it will be my first ever Formula 1 Grand Prix.”

Max Verstappen - “I have been to Australia before, but never to Melbourne. I only visited Sydney when I was very young and from what I remember it’s a nice place to go. I remember seeing my father race of course and now I have driven the Albert Park track quite a few times on the simulator. I think it’s a nice track and naturally, I’m looking forward to taking part in my first race in F1. At the moment, I’m not too sure how I will feel, but when the lights go on I will definitely be very excited and when they go off, then it will be just like every other race I have driven before.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Quotes belong to drivers 

Australian GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

Preview Quotes - Force India

Nico Hulkenberg - "The first race of the season is always a special occasion: a race you really look forward to for a long time. You have a new car to push to the limit in race conditions for the first time, you are often working with new people in the team and it's the first occasion to spend a race weekend with them: there is always a lot to keep you excited in addition to the regular weekend activities. As a driver, the first race is very interesting - we are as curious as anybody to see where everyone really is compared to the others. I haven't been very lucky in Melbourne in the past, but I have very good memories from last year's race. We finished sixth in our first race with the VJM07 - and considering that I had never managed to finish more than one lap in Australia until then, that was a quite welcome development! It was a very good race and I hope we can have another one this year."

Sergio Perez - "The Australian Grand Prix is one of my favourite races because it's one of those events in which everything comes together: the excitement of a new season, a great track and a fantastic city. Albert Park is a special circuit and it's great to get back to action on such a challenging track. Even though it is classified as a street circuit, it doesn't really feel like one - there are only a few corners in which you get close to the walls. Driving on it, it feels like a permanent track, although if you make a mistake you realise pretty quickly how close the walls really are!

There are many difficult corners and it is not easy to get a perfect lap here: turn one, in particular, is very technical and difficult also because you can't really see the apex. It is a great feeling to get that corner right. In terms of set-up, you are mostly looking for front end grip and it is not easy to find the right balance for the car. Melbourne is the place where I had my first Formula One race. That's a great memory that will stay with me forever. It's my best memory from Melbourne so far, but I hope to refresh it with some new memories soon!"

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Quotes belong to drivers