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Malaysian F1 Grand Prix: Formula One live blog, updates

29th March, 2015
1. Lewis Hamilton 1’49.834
Mercedes
2. Sebastian Vettel 1’49.908
Ferrari
3. Nico Rosberg 1’50.299
Mercedes
4. Daniel Ricciardo 1’51.541
Red Bull
5. Daniil Kvyat 1’51.951
Red Bull
6. Max Verstappen 1’51.981
Toro Rosso
7. Felipe Massa 1’52.473
Williams
8. Valtteri Bottas 1’53.179
Williams
9. Marcus Ericsson 1’53.261
Sauber
10. Romain Grosjean* 1’52.981
Lotus
11. Kimi Raikkonen 1’42.173
Ferrari
12. Pastor Maldonado 1’42.197
Lotus
13. Nico Hulkenberg 1’43.022
orce India
14. Sergio Perez 1’43.468
Force India
15. Carlos Sainz Jnr 1’43.700
Toro Rosso
16. Felipe Nasr 1’41.308
Sauber
17. Jenson Button 1’41.636
McLaren
18. Fernando Alonso 1’41.746
McLaren
19. Roberto Merhi** 1’46.677
Manor
20. Will Stevens** No time
Manor
It's sad, but not heartbreaking, for F1 to farewell Malaysia. (Source: Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool)
Roar Guru
29th March, 2015
96
1620 Reads

Defending world champions Mercedes AMG opened their account for 2015 with maximum points at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix. Can they follow it up at the Malaysian Grand Prix? Join The Roar from 5:30pm to find out.

Dual world champion Lewis Hamilton cruised to victory, with his teammate Nico Rosberg in second.

Will it be a case of ‘catch me if you can’ here in Malaysia? Well considering the sizeable advantage the W06 Hybrid has over its competitors, the race result (for at least the top two positions) should be predictable.

However the Malaysian Grand Prix at the Hermann Tilke-designed Sepang circuit is known for tossing up many variables, the key one being weather. Monsoon storms have been forecast for the weekend, with an 80 per cent of showers and thunderstorms to appear Sunday afternoon.

One important alteration in the race schedule for this year is that the starting time has been pushed ahead by an hour, to compensate for bad light in case the race is interrupted. Following the horrific accident at the Japanese Grand Prix last year involving Marussia driver Jules Bianchi, all of the Asian/Oceanic races have seen their start times brought ahead in case of fading light.

The 56-lap race will start at 6:00pm (AEST) as supposed to its traditional 7:00pm slot.

Apart from the monsoonal weather, intense humidity will be another factor that’ll test the drivers. As per the preceding year, Pirelli have brought their hardest available tyre compounds in the mediums and hards to Malaysia, knowing that degradation as well as endurance will be a key factor.

For the rookies who excelled in Australia, the conditions of Malaysia will be a true test of their wit.

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Toro Rosso’s Max Verstappen still has the opportunity to make history if he finishes in the points to become the youngest points scorer in Formula One, at 17 years, 5 months and 27 days.

Hamilton has only triumphed in Sepang once, last year. Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel hold the most wins at this circuit of any of the current grid, with three apiece. Though it’s unlikely that the former, who will make a return to the field after his pre-season testing injury, will challenge for even a podium in the McLaren, Vettel does face the prospect of repeating his performance from Australia in the Ferrari.

There will also be a welcome return too for Williams driver Valtteri Bottas, who was forced to sit out the Australian Grand Prix after sustaining a back injury during qualifying.

Eyes will be on Red Bull and their engine supplier Renault also, as tensions flared between the pair following the first race.

And can the resurrected Manor team turn a wheel this weekend to make it a full grid of 20 starting the grand prix?

Join us on The Roar from 5:30pm (AEST) to gear up for the lights go out at 6pm.

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