Webber takes pole on intermediates

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F1 Grand Prix, GP Malaysia, Sepang International Circuitmy

In very changeable weather conditions, Mark Webber has made the most of the possibilities and chose to put in his pole lap on inters when everyone else was on extreme wets. Nico Rosberg is second, while Sebastian Vettel is third.

Just as last year, this year's Malaysian GP is set to become again highly interesting due to the weather conditions. At the green light of qualifying, the track conditions are highly different along the track, leading to many drivers opting to immediately to out on the intermediate tyres.

The only toppers between them are the Red Bull drivers, and as a result they're they can comfortably mix in between the other cars in the standings. Others are gambling for the track to dry, which is initially did, but by the time Hamilton and the Ferraris entered the track, the rain started again.

Alonso and his teammate really are in trouble 3 minutes ahead of the end of Q1. Hamilton at that time is also out, currently in 23 position. Jenson Button and Bruno Senna meanwhile spun off the track and could not rejoin qualifying.

As the track became so wet, drivers are finally switching to the extreme wets, but it looks like a difficult job to actually improve any time set on an intermediate.

Despite last minute attempts, neither of the Ferraris got through, and they cannot participate in Q2, as well as Trulli, Hamilton, Chandhok and Di Grassi.

With Q2 underway, most cars are on the full wets, but some, amongst Michael Schumacher have chosen the intermediates, resulting in a fastest time after 16 drivers set their first laps. Petrov and Kubica are at that time second and third.

4 minutes later Kubica jumps to the top of the timesheets, ahead of Vettel. Nico Rosberg is third, ahead of the two Williams cars, Sutil and Schumacher.

Vettel managed to improve once more to be fastest at the end of Q2. Michael Schumacher just managed to go through in 10 position, not managing to get further a new set of intermediates. Out are Petrov, De La Rosa, Buemi, Alguersuari, Kovalainen, Glock and Button.

During the pause in preparation for Q3, the rain picked up considerably and all drivers are out immediately on the extreme wets. 3 minutes into the session however, the session is red flaggd for safety concerns, even though it still looked fairly driveable.

10 minutes later the rain stopped and a further 5 minutes the session is restarted with 7:17 left on the clock. Nine cars are running on the extreme wets, while only Mark Webber has chosen to use the intermediates.

The track is continually improving but it is Sutil who sets the initial benchmark time. Robert Kubica is second after his first attempt and lead the two Williams cars.

After the second string of laps, the track looks to have turned into Webber's favour as he puts in a 1:50.451, 4 tenths better than Rosberg and Vettel. The Australian even went a full second quicker one lap later and is comfortably ahead of everyone else.

Results

.
Pos.DriverTeamTime
1M. WebberRed Bull1:49.327
2N. RosbergMercedes Grand Prix1:50.673
3S. VettelRed Bull1:50.789
4A. SutilForce India F11:50.914
5N. HulkenbergWilliams1:51.001
6R. KubicaRenault1:51.051
7R. BarrichelloWilliams1:51.511
8M. SchumacherMercedes Grand Prix1:51.717
9K. KobayashiSauber1:51.767
10V. LiuzziForce India F11:52.254

11

V. PetrovRenault1:48.760
12P. de la RosaSauber1:48.771
13S. BuemiScuderia Toro Rosso1:49.207
14J. AlguersuariScuderia Toro Rosso1:49.464
15H. KovalainenLotus F11:52.270
16T. GlockVirgin Racing1:52.520
17J. ButtonMcLarenno time

18

J. TrulliLotus F11:52.000
19F. AlonsoFerrari1:52.884
20L. HamiltonMcLaren1:53.050
21F. MassaFerrari1:53.283
22K. ChandhokHrt F1 Team1:56.299
23B. SennaHrt F1 Team1:57.269
24L. Di GrassiVirgin Racing1:59.977