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.
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.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Yes indeed. And it shows that a team once criticised for its reluctance to change, can overhaul its operation to come back from the brink last year to winners this year.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Thank you very much for joining me here on The Roar today to witness this narrative unfold. This race was very much in stark contrast to the Australian Grand Prix two weeks ago which did not deliver this level of racing. Hopefully the viewers who were overly critical of the sport post-Melbourne will reconsider their positions. Thank you once again and The Roar will be back after Easter for the Chinese Grand Prix. Buona notte.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
And the updated drivers' standings which sees Vettel leapfrog Rosberg into second: 43 - Lewis Hamilton 40 - Sebastian Vettel 33 - Nico Rosberg 20 - Felipe Massa 12 - Kimi Räikkönen 10 - Felipe Nasr 10 - Valtteri Bottas 9 -- Daniel Ricciardo 6 -- Nico Hulkenberg 6 -- Max Verstappen 4 -- Carlos Sainz 2 -- Marcus Ericsson 1 -- Daniil Kvyat 0 -- Sergio Perez 0 -- Jenson Button 0 -- Romain Grosjean 0 -- Roberto Merhi
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Here are the updated constructors' standings: 76 - Mercedes AMG 52 - Scuderia Ferrari 30 - Williams Mercedes 14 - Sauber Ferrari 11 - Scuderia Toro Rosso 7 -- Force India Mercedes 0 -- McLaren Honda 0 -- Lotus Mercedes 0 -- Manor Ferrari
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
"We beat them fair and square," says Vettel which is indeed true. Mercedes AMG's strategy and tyre troubles are what cost them the win, but they ought to be wary of the red team now. "They were too fast for us today," says Hamilton admitting defeat. "Game on, Ferrari," is all Rosberg can say.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Eddie Jordan will conduct the podium interviews.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
And Vettel is visibly emotional on the podium, whilst the two Mercedes AMG drivers look stunned. It would be very meaningful if Vettel rates this victory as being one of his best.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
There will be elation too for Verstappen who finished seventh and inside the points. At 17 years-old he is now the youngest points scorer in F1 history.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Here then are your finishers from the 56 lap Malaysia Grand Prix: 1 S. Vettel 2 L. Hamilton 3 N. Rosberg 4 K. Räikkönen 5 V. Bottas 6 F. Massa 7 M. Verstappen 8 C. Sainz 9 D. Kvyat 10 D. Ricciardo 11 R. Grosjean 12 F. Nasr 13 S. Perez 14 N. Hulkenberg 15 R. Merhi RET P. Maldonado RET J. Button RET F. Alonso RET M. Ericsson DNS W. Stevens
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
My Roaring F1 colleague has just said that 'Hearing the German anthem in conjunction with the Italian will mean something special. The memories of Michael Schumacher will be poignant.' Indeed it will be for all those romantics out there!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
What a race! Mercedes AMG look to have found their match in Ferrari. It is true that their pace was somewhat limited by the tyres, however Ferrari must be seen as having genuinely closed the gap. Having been beaten in terms of pace and strategy.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
It was Barcelona 2013 the last time Ferrari won a race and Brazil 2013 the last time Vettel won a race. A marriage made by the motorsport gods it seems! A German driver resurrecting the legendary Italian team. Numero Uno!
Simoc
Guest
Huge win for Ferrari. That is just what F1 needed. May there be many more.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 56/56: Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel are on top of the podium once again! A frustrated Lewis Hamilton finishes second and his teammate Nico Rosberg in third.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 55/56: Massa and Bottas are providing some exciting late-race action as they duel for fifth and sixth. Bottas makes a move stick eventually.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 54/56: Both Williams are close in fifth and sixth with Massa leading Bottas. It is interesting to see also that both Toro Rosso vehicles are ahead of both Red Bulls.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 53/56: Kvyat has made a move on Ricciardo for ninth, whilst Vettel laps his old team.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 53/56: And those who rued seeing Mercedes AMG domination in Melbourne, will surely be reconsidering their criticisms after watching this particular race! Where Ferrari have on genuine pace and strategy trumped the Silver Arrows.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 51/56: Hamilton is now 10 seconds in deficit to Vettel. It looks all but sealed for the German. He is also close to lapping both the Red Bulls.
Simoc
Guest
What a turn up this is? Great stuff