Formula One heads to the Sepang International Circuit for the final time, as the Malaysian Grand Prix prepares for its swansong. Join The Roar for a live blog from 6pm AEDT.
With six races remaining in the title race for 2017, the last ever race at Sepang is a crucial one in terms of the championship.
The previous race in Singapore saw a dramatic shift in momentum atop the standings, with an imperious Lewis Hamilton emerging with a 28-point lead over Sebastian Vettel – who was left red faced after a controversial first corner incident.
Sepang presents another race of endurance, with the heat set to challenge the drivers as it did in Singapore. The 5.5km circuit however, possesses more high-speed corners – which with the new cars, should be taken up to 20kmph faster than 2016.
The race itself is comprised of 56-laps, with weather always variable due yearlong monsoonal rains being present in the region.
Vettel and Ferrari will be under pressure to respond here, with the pair having had the most victories of any driver or team since the first race in 1999.
However, the German is set to start the race from the rear of the grid after he failed to set a time in qualifying – with a turbocharger issue forcing him out of qualification.
Hamilton then starts from his 70th career pole position, having edged out Kimi Räikkönen by the narrowest of margins.
The Finn will start the race from where he last won at Sepang back in 2008 and appears to be the Scuderia’s sole hope of challenging for the win.
2016’s race winner in Daniel Ricciardo occupies the second of the grid, behind his Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen. Red Bull could yet be a smoky once again, if there is tension at the front.
A strong qualifying for both Force India and McLaren drivers puts them up there to bag a haul of points, particularly such a competitive midfield and constructor’s championship positions being crucial at this point in the season.
Toro Rosso have replaced Daniil Kvyat for the remainder of 2017, with reigning GP2 champion Pierre Gasly set to start fifteenth in his first grand prix.
The odds are against Vettel winning a fifth in Sepang, though there is hope that Räikkönen could steal points off Hamilton.
With such a tantalising race on the cards, tune into the live blog coverage from 6pm AEST on The Roar and see who will take out the last ever Malaysia Grand Prix.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
That wraps up this live blog of the Malaysia Grand Prix. It'll definitely be an event that will be fondly remembered, as the 2018 season will not feature this race. Thanks again for tuning in and I shall return for The Roar for the Japanese Grand Prix. Until then, its time to watch the NRL Grand Final!
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
-------- DRIVER'S -------- 281 - Lewis Hamilton 247 - Sebastian Vettel 222 - Valtteri Bottas 177 - Daniel Ricciardo 138 - Kimi Räikkönen 93 -- Max Verstappen 76 -- Sergio Perez 57 -- Esteban Ocon 48 -- Carlos Sainz 34 -- Nico Hulkenberg 33 -- Felipe Massa 32 -- Lance Stroll 26 -- Romain Grosjean 13 -- Stoffel Vandoorne 11 -- Kevin Magnussen 10 -- Fernando Alonso 8 --- Jolyon Palmer 5 --- Pascal Wehrlein 4 --- Daniil Kvyat 0 --- Marcus Ericsson 0 --- Antonio Giovinazzi 0 --- Jenson Button
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Roar Guru
----- CONSTRUCTOR'S ----- 503 - Mercedes AMG 385 - Scuderia Ferrari 270 - Red Bull Racing 133 - Force India Mercedes 65 -- Williams Mercedes 52 -- Scuderia Toro Rosso 42 -- Renault Sport 37 -- Haas Ferrari 23 -- McLaren Honda 5 --- Sauber Ferrari
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RACE REPORT On the weekend that he turned 20, Max Verstappen won his second ever grand prix as Formula One is farewelled from Malaysia. A hectic start to the Malaysia Grand Prix, saw Kimi Räikkönen out of the race before the lights went out – with a turbocharger issue seeing him wheeled back into the pit-lane. Pole sitter Lewis Hamilton led away in the open laps, but was quickly reeled in and dispatched by Verstappen. The Briton in the end content with second, as he extended his championship lead over Sebastian Vettel. The German, having started from the rear of grid raced to an excellent fourth to minimise the points lost. Despite running an alternate strategy to the leaders, Vettel was unable to crack the podium places – having had to yield his pursuit of Daniel Ricciardo. Valtteri Bottas’ difficult weekend for Mercedes AMG emanated in a fifth-place finish, with the Finn having fought Ricciardo early in the race, but having had no impact following his one and only pit-stop. The minor points placings saw some action across the 56-laps, with Fernando Alonso involved with the Haas car of Kevin Magnussen and the two Renaults. Neither finished in the points, with Alonso just outside in eleventh – whilst a late coming together between Magnussen and Jolyon Palmer saw the Briton lose out. Even though many of the drivers had one-stopped, the strategy for the sister Renault of Nico Hulkenberg backfired, with the German having to pit late in the race for a second time to reach the flag. Esteban Ocon found himself in the wars with several drivers and notably Felipe Massa, who forced the Force India off-track on multiple occasions. The Frenchman secured tenth in the end behind the Williams of the Brazilian. A continuation of good form for Stoffel Vandoorne saw the Belgian driver finish seventh, despite having run as high as fifth in the early stages. Vandoorne now jumps ahead of McLaren teammate Alonso in the standings. Hamilton’s podium ensured his lead in the championship was cemented, with a 34-point advantage having been established over Vettel – who once again endured a difficult weekend, along with Ferrari overall. There is a short turnaround now, as the championship resumes next week for the Japanese Grand Prix.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RACE REPORT AND UPDATED STANDINGS TO FOLLOW
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Roar Guru
PODIUM INTERVIEWS - Hosted by Mark Webber VERSTAPPEN - "The car straightaway felt good." "He [Lewis] has more to lose than me." "Incredible to win." HAMILTON - "Big congratulations to Max." "The race was a tough one and they just had an upper hand on us today." RICCIARDO - "Seb came so quick at the end and I thought we would have a handful." "Good race for the team."
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
How bizarre! Vettel's rear wheel has just flown off and it was blamed on Stroll - who blames the German for running into the side of him. No vision is seen yet of the incident. Vettel hitching a ride back to the pits with Wehrlein.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
RESULTS FROM THE 56-LAP MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX 1 M. Verstappen 2 L. Hamilton 3 D. Ricciardo 4 S. Vettel 5 V. Bottas 6 S. Perez 7 S. Vandoorne 8 L. Stroll 9 F. Massa 10 E. Ocon 11 F. Alonso 12 K. Magnussen 13 R. Grosjean 14 P. Gasly 15 J. Palmer 16 N. Hulkenberg 17 P. Wehrlein 18 M. Ericsson RET C. Sainz RET K. Räikkönen
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Roar Guru
MAX VERSTAPPEN WINS THE MALAYSIA GRAND PRIX! On the weekend he turned 20, the Dutchman has won his second race. LEWIS HAMILTON drives home to extend his championship lead in second. And it's DANIEL RICCIARDO who completes the podium in third for Red Bull.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
FINAL LAP
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Roar Guru
Lap 55/56: Gasly hounding his countryman Grosjean in a late charge for P13. The pair involved earlier in the race with each other, much to the displease of the elder Frenchman.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 55/56: 2 LAPS TO GO
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Roar Guru
Lap 54/56: "I think you've broken Vettel's spirit," says Dan's engineer to the Red Bull driver, as Vettel retreats to a 3.8 second deficit. Tyre conservation mode then for the German, who has raced from P20 up to P4.
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Roar Guru
Lap 53/56: 4 LAPS TO GO
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Roar Guru
Lap 52/56: Hulkenberg's one-stop strategy backfires then, as the German is forced to make a second stop.
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Roar Guru
Lap 52/56: 5 LAPS TO GO
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Roar Guru
Lap 51/56: Verstappen and Hamilton pretty much have the top two positions sealed out. It is now a battle for third, between Ricciardo and Vettel. Alonso the only other driver looking at making a move and that is on Hulkenberg in P11. The Renault is on 40-lap old soft tyres.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 50/56: "Attack NOW," say Ferrari to Vettel. Dan doing a solid job to defend against the raging pony that is the Ferrari.
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Roar Guru
Lap 49/56: Vettel now past the McLaren of Alonso and continues to shadow Ricciardo. Dan covers the Ferrari when it tried to make the lunge at Turn 1.
Jawad Yaqub
Roar Guru
Lap 48/56: Alonso the lapped car in between Ricciardo and Vettel. The Spaniard must think he is part of the fight here!