29/03/2014
NEWS STORY
Despite all their talk of concern at high tyre degradation yesterday, the Mercedes duo didn't appear to bothered this morning, both out-pacing their nearest rival - Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen - by a second.
Indeed, such was the confidence, whilst rivals were finally switching to the option rubber, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were already performing back-to-back pit stops.
Behind the leading the leading trio, it was almost a case of total symmetry - and this the same week that the movie Noah is released. Whilst Fernando Alonso could only manage seventh, and Nico Hulkenberg spoiled the party by splitting the Red Bulls, the order behind read Williams, Toro Rosso, Sauber, Lotus, Marussia, Caterham and, er... McLaren.
Following problems with a sensor on Kevin Magnussen's car in yesterday morning's session, today both cars were afflicted. Basically, the sensor is (falsely) picking up on a problem and shutting the engine down. Speaking shortly after this morning's session, team boss Eric Boullier suggested that if it cannot be resolved in time the Woking duo might not be able to run this afternoon. A total volta-face following the impressive performance in Melbourne.
That said, as is often the case in Malaysia, the weather gods might have thrown a spanner in the works. The rain that was expected during FP3 has finally shown up just forty-five minutes before Q1 gets underway. Hopefully it will stop in time, and the humidity will soon dry the track, but there is the threat of further rain later.
Taking the Mercedes duo out of the equation and using Raikkonen as the benchmark, the drivers from third down to eleventh were covered by 1.026s, indeed, Vergne and Sutil (14th and 15th) were within 1.3s, so it's all pretty even out there.
In fact, the rain doesn't ease, it gets worse, much worse... it is a typical Monsoon deluge, to the extent that Q1 is delayed by fifteen minutes. Air temperature is 24 degrees C, while the track temperature is 30 degrees.
Of course, with this session starting at 16:00 (local time) - thanks Bernie - there is concern at the failing light, visibility already compromised by the dark storm clouds.
Inevitably, the start of the session is delayed by a further fifteen minutes though the rain shows no sign of easing.
At 16:20 the Safety Car heads out to check the conditions. Unsurprisingly the session is delayed by a further 15 minutes.
According to Twitter (where else?); qualifying at Japan 2004 and 2010 was postponed until Sunday morning because of rain, while Australia 2013 was postponed after Q1 was completed.
The rain starts to ease but it all depends on when it will stop and how quickly the track will dry. Replay of Safety Car shows a lot of standing water. Then there is the fading light to consider.
Official radar says that while the rain is easing there is further "intense activity" around 4km away and heading in. Nonetheless, mechanics are in the pitlane with their fans attempting to dry the pit slots as much as possible.
Despite the fact that the rain has stopped and that there are clear patches of blue, the start is delayed by a further 5 minutes.
Following a further check, the start of the session is confirmed for 16:50.
With the threat of further rain there is sure to be clamour to get on track... which, is already pretty dry.
At the end of the pitlane, anticipating the green light, is the Mercedes duo, with over two minutes still to go. "We do expect rain," Hamilton is told, "so do make your early laps representative".
Most are on inters, though McLaren has opted for full wets. Magnussen is left stranded at the end of the pitlane as Caterham's misery continues. Raikkonen, Vettel, Ricciardo and Sutil give the opposition half a lap before emerging from their garages.
Asked if it's dry enough for dry tyres, Maldonado admits that it is still very wet. Lots of wobbly cars out there.
Hamilton passes his teammate on Rosberg on the out lap, as Ericsson finally gets going. All 22 drivers are on track.
Hamilton posts 57.309 but Rosberg goes quicker (57.189). Magnussen is told to pit for inters.
Alonso goes third as Kvyat almost collects Alonso. Hulkenberg goes third (59.392), ahead of Alonso and Vettel as Ricciardo posts 58.913 to take third moments later.
Rosberg improves to 57.183 as Vettel is told that he has an issue with his car and must pit. Hamilton consolidates second with a 57.202.
Ricciardo is third, ahead of Hulkenberg, Perez, Grosjean, Raikkonen, Alonso, Vettel and Bottas.
As Grosjean is told that it is raining again and getting heavier, Button, Bianchi, Kobayashi, Chilton, Ericsson and Magnussen are all in the drop zone.
Vettel is told that he needs a re-set, isn't that Ctrl, Alt & Del?
As Alonso improves to fourth (59.035) and the rain increases, Ricciardo is warned that the conditions will remain the same until the end of Q1.
Magnussen nonetheless improves to fourteenth (2:01.198), which drops Sutil into the zone.
Button loses time behind Gutierrez in S3 but still manages to take fifteenth with a 2:01.317, thereby dropping Maldonado into the drop zone.
Hulkenberg improves to third (58.883) but is eclipsed by Vettel who has obviously sorted out his earlier 'blue screen' moment.
Bianchi working hard but is unable to improve on 2:02.702 as his Marussia slides all over the place. Vettel runs wide in T9.
Out come the red flags as Ericsson collides with one of the polystyrene braking point markers. Normally this isn't too much of a problem but the Caterham has been damaged. Bad news not only for the Swede but those drivers hoping to improve on their times, most notably Maldonado.
Replay shows him really struggling with the car before losing it on the kerbing at T3, hitting the barriers - which ripped off his right-front - then taking out the polystyrene marker before almost colliding with Gutierrez.
Rosberg is quickest, ahead of Hamilton, Vettel, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Bottas, Massa and Perez. We lose Maldonado, Sutil, Bianchi, Kobayashi, Chilton and Ericsson.
Kvyat is informed that the current level of rain will remain for a while.
Once again the Mercedes head the queue at the end of the pitlane, though the pair are split by Gutierrez. Almost all are on wets, Raikkonen being the main exception.
Button is told that Raikkonen is on inters and that this is probably the wrong move. Elsewhere, Alonso and Kvyat appear to have touched. Indeed, replay shows the Russian losing it as he tries to go down the inside of the Ferrari in T9 damaging both cars in the process. Out comes the red flag.
Back in the pits the front left suspension on Alonso's Ferrari is beyond repair, his session is over. Meanwhile, Kvyat only appear to have suffered damage to his nose.
Raikkonen is none too disappointed, the Finn agreeing with McLaren that inters were the wrong way to go. Alonso and Bottas were also on the inters.
As the stewards announce that Q2 will resume in a couple of minutes, the Ferrari mechanics are working frantically on Alonso's car in the hope of getting him back out.
As the lights go green, Rosberg and Hamilton heading the queue yet again, Bottas has stuck with the inters, not so Raikkonen who is now on full wets.
As the Mercedes duo begin their first flying laps of Q2, Alonso is heading down the pitlane. Superb work by his crew.
The stewards will investigate the Kvyat/Alonso incident after the session as Bottas continues on his inters, the Finn clearly struggling.
Gutierrez post 2:03.345, but this is soon beaten by Hamilton who posts 59.419. Rosberg goes second with a 2:00.407.
As Magnussen goes third overall (2:02.094), Ricciardo goes quickest in S2 before going on to post 2:00.147 and take second.
Alonso, showing no sign of his earlier incident, goes sixth with a 2:01.356, while Kvyat is enjoying another little scrap, this time with his teammate.
Bottas, still on the inters, slips to sixteenth, 6.2s off the pace.
Vettel is the second driver to break the two-minute barrier, slipping into second with a 59.879.
As Rosberg goes quickest in S1, Hamilton raises the bar with a 59.241. Button improves to ninth (2:02.637).
Magnussen goes off into the gravel at the start of the pitlane, after losing control in T15.
As Bottas finally switches to wets, teammate Massa opts for inters. Rosberg posts 59.445 to go second.
After one lap on the inters, Massa swaps back to the full wets.
With less than two minutes remaining, Grosjean, Gutierrez, Mass, Vergne, Kvyat and Bottas fill the drop zone.
A horrible wobble for Perez at the start of the pit straight, somehow keeping it out of the barriers.
Button improves to eighth (2:01.810), just ahead of his teammate, as Vettel goes quickest in S2.
As Bottas fails to improve, Kvyat posts 2:04.976 to go tenth. Moments later however he is demoted by his teammate.
Vettel splits the Mercedes with a 59.399 as Massa fails to improve on thirteenth.
Hamilton is quickest, ahead of Vettel, Rosberg, Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, Alonso, Raikkonen, Button, Magnussen and Vergne.
We lose Kvyat, Gutierrez, Massa, Perez, Bottas and Grosjean.
The stewards announce that they are investigating another incident involving Bottas and Ricciardo, the Finn thought to have impeded the Australian.
Raikkonen heads the queue this time around, ahead of Magnussen, the Mercedes duo and the rest. All but the McLarens on full wets.
At the end of the out lap, both McLarens pit and while Magnussen switches to the wets, teammate Button fits a new set of inters.
Raikkonen posts 2:01.218 while Hamilton posts 59.431 moments later. Rosberg can only manage 2:00.175 to go second but is eclipsed by Alonso and then Vettel, the German crossing the line at 59.486.
"Keep pushing, keep pushing," Hamilton is told.
"Lap times are on the cross over," Button is informed.
Hamilton goes quickest in S2, however a weak final sector means he fails to improve. Ricciardo goes fifth with a 2:00.541.
Told to keep pushing, Raikkonen says he has to change his tyres. Button, currently tenth, stoically sticks with his inters.
Hamilton complains that it is now raining harder.
All now fitted with new (wet) rubber, the final assault on pole begins. Button still nowhere near the pace, his cause not helped by the deteriorating conditions.
"I can't see anything out of my mirrors," says Hamilton, "I can't see where anyone is."
Vettel posts a PB in S2 and is passed by Rosberg on the final straight, losing time he fails to cross the line in time to begin another lap.
As Hamilton runs wide in T4, Alonso posts a PB in S1. Magnussen and Vergne post PBs in S2 as Raikkonen fails to improve.
A late charge sees Rosberg take third, but, as one would expect given the conditions, there are no other improvements. One wonder what Vettel might have managed had he been able to complete another lap.
Consequently, for the second successive race, Hamilton starts from pole, ahead of Vettel, Rosberg, Alonso, Ricciardo, Raikkonen, Hulkenberg, Magnussen, Vergne and Button.
Kvyat will start eleventh, ahead of Gutierrez, Massa, Perez, Bottas, Grosjean, Maldonado, Sutil, Bianchi, Kobayashi, Chilton and Ericsson.
An interesting session, which gives us an equally interesting grid. However, the big question is, what do the weather gods have in store for us tomorrow?
Check out our Saturday gallery, here.
Chris Balfe