Grand Prix 2017 Malaysia Grand Prix Practice, Qualifying & Race Discussion

Malaysia was the second country in Asia to be awarded a Formula One race in 1999. The success of the race at Sepang was the cue for the expansion throughout Asia of Formula One, with varying levels of success.

2017 sees Malaysia say goodbye to Formula One as the owners of the Sepang circuit sensibly believe that their finances would be better served if Moto GP provided the sole blue riband event at their circuit. This is, of course, an indictment on Formula One more than those who are rightly looking out for their circuit's best interests.

Down the years, this circuit has seen many notable events. Its inaugral race saw Michael Schumacher's return from injury only to give the win up to team-mate and accidental title-challenger Eddie Irvine, with the Ferraris disqualified then reinstated in a move that conviniently restored a title decider at Suzuka. Schumacher was also at the vanguard of the Ferrari comeback from a poor stacked pit-stop in the wet in 2001, with he and Barrichello carving through the field with their Bridgestone intermediate tyres.

2002 saw Schumacher and Montoya clash at turn one, allowing Schumacher's brother to take a win. Kimi Raikkonen took his début win in the year-old McLaren in 2003. Giancarlo Fisichella took a rare win in 2006 sandwiching two Fernando Alonso victories.

The decision to change the time of the Grand Prix to cater for a European audience fundamentally affected Sepang for a while. The new time was at monsoon o'clock in the tropics, meaning the 2009 Grand Prix was washed out half-way through. It meant a half-point victory for Jenson Button, ice-cream for Kimi Raikkonen and a "calm down, Felipe, baby" from Rob Smedley. 2012 was also wet, with the much-maligned Ferrari of Alonso holding off the challenge of Sergio Perez' Sauber when the Mexican lost time slipping off-line.

The story of the 2010s in Malaysia has been about the dominance of one man in particular: Sebastian Vettel. He's taken the honours in 2010, 2011 and amid strategic brilliance in 2015 but his most memorable victory is undoubtedly the Multi 21 race in 2013 where both Red Bull in 1st and 2nd and Mercedes in 3rd and 4th issued team-orders to stay put. Nico Rosberg did not attack his team-mate Hamilton but Vettel famously passed his furious Australian team-mate Mark Webber, who was naturally caught by surprise since he'd been told that his colleague would not attack him.

Lewis Hamilton has not found the circuit to be to his liking. It often favoured rival teams such as Ferrari or Red Bull, and 2016 saw the heartbreak of an engine failure clearing the way for Daniel Ricciardo to win the race, and Nico Rosberg to "settle for second" after Suzuka. His win in the most dominant Mercedes in 2014 remains his sole honours at the circuit.

After "losing serve" at Singapore, it is vital for Vettel that he beats Hamilton practically everywhere. Hamilton's 28 point lead is handily equal to the gap between first and second four times, meaning that even if Vettel wins five races and finishes second to Hamilton in the other, he still needs Hamilton to fail to follow him home at least once. Red Bulls and Bottas would complicate the situation mightily.

Further down the table, Sergio Perez is now level with Max Verstappen in the championship, utilising the exalted tactic of actually finishing races to reel in the young Dutchman. Verstappen, meanwhile, would be forgiven for punching walls worldwide.

Carlos Sainz' excellent fourth place at Singapore means the four-way battle between Williams, Toro Rosso, Renault and Haas is for fifth in the championship is yet again tightened. With Williams' current poor form, I would suggest that one may well be won by whichever constructor is employing Carlos Sainz for the last six races.

Whatever happens, farewell Sepang. Formula One will miss you.
 
the stand next door which was for Malaysians only was easy to break into.

....?

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I didn't bother to watch the rest of the season after Singapore,cause the chance of Hamilton winning this championship are about 99%. After I read about the qualifying of this race, it just clear that luck and reliability is on Hamilton's side this year.

Next stop Formula E, bye F1 for now. Never thought the day would come that i would be more tired of seeing a Merc win than a Ferrari ( in the dominant Ferrari days).
 
Galahad's qualifying ratings:
Hamilton A
Raikkonen C
Verstappen B
Ricciardo C
Bottas F
Ocon B
Vandoorne B
Hülkenberg C
Perez D
Alonso D
Massa B
Palmer E
Stroll D
Sainz B
Gasly A
Grosjean C
Magnussen C
Wehrlein B
Ericsson E
 
How has karma caught up with him, he's only an engine failure, they've already had at least one this season and it's a natural occurence at some point during the season.

I guess it's also karma that Schumacher is in some sort of a vegetative state...

This karma talk is utter nonsense...
 
Bottas was very competitive with Hamilton on pace until after his difficult race at Spa, when the team *allegedly* said he was going to be #2 for the rest of the year. Since then he was 2.3s slower in the wet at Monza, 0.7 slower at Singapore and 0.7 slower at Sepang.

So, maybe that's it.
 
Bottas was very competitive with Hamilton on pace until after his difficult race at Spa, when the team *allegedly* said he was going to be #2 for the rest of the year. Since then he was 2.3s slower in the wet at Monza, 0.7 slower at Singapore and 0.7 slower at Sepang.

So, maybe that's it.

Quite possibly - although earlier in the season, the car was a little more difficult - if we think back to Hamilton and Kovalainen, Hamilton was being matched by Kovi in 2009 until the mid-season point when the car began to become a little more competitive - it might be something with his driving style, perhaps...
 
Vettel has enjoyed two race wins where his teammate was not allowed to race him.. he's avoided being DQed for deliberately slamming into Hamilton at Baku. Singapore was 99% his fault and surprisingly not a warning was given. They say the championship is not politically orchestrated this year but it is .

Hamilton has had his fair share of misfortune with gearbox and engine related penalties but he has managed to apply damage limitation

So I don't see how people should feel sorry for Vettel . If anything Hamilton fighting back has been good for F1 and today he delivered a brilliant pole when he had no right to be on pole
 
if Vettel chances werent slim before, they are almost non existent now barring some miracle turnaround in tomorrows like when Lewis qualified last & Nico on pole but finished ahead of him in Hungary 2014 because under 25pts is doable because 1 failure is always possible but you would think gap should be 35pts + tomorrow & once your relying on 2 races of bad luck for rivals you really are clutching at straws

you can tell that pole was down to Lewis not mercedes. because wolff looked massively relieved when kimi came in 0.045 behind. but from wolff interview post qualifying seems 2015 problems are back where the heat affects them. as when your at 6pm & track cools down 4 degrees. the car seemed to be miles better. yes people can say Q3 mode which helps but when bottas is 5th. you just have to admire the amazing talent lewis has at times over 1 lap. 1 good thing about vettels problem is kimi raikkonen is let of leash. because many times ferrari proved this season they would rather lose than let kimi win. i was going to say about the 1st corner but the last time i talked about 2nd/3rd being able to stick 1 down the inside because poleman will think of championship & jump out of the way was Singapore. & vettel lost his marbles the top 3 of grid all crashed into each other
 
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