0:01:11 > 0:01:18Mark the beginning of season. It is difficult to get past turn one. You
0:01:18 > 0:01:26you have to have a go. Going to the first corner and Jenson Button is
0:01:26 > 0:01:36at the front. Jenson Button is ahead. Oh wow! Pastor Maldonado
0:01:36 > 0:01:42trying to get past. He's out! so brilliant. When we race next
0:01:42 > 0:01:49Sunday, I will be better. Michael Schumacher has gone off. We're
0:01:49 > 0:01:55losing, I don't think I have seen someone do that. Jenson Button's
0:01:55 > 0:02:01gone. Jenson Button wins in Australia. Sebastian Vettel is
0:02:01 > 0:02:10second, Lewis Hamilton finishes third. What a great way to start
0:02:10 > 0:02:15the year, guys. The quicker they go, the more beautiful they become.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20We're outside the McLaren garage and we have a former winner of the
0:02:20 > 0:02:26Australian Grand Prix. What a lot of action there was. What a great
0:02:26 > 0:02:30start to the season. McLaren seemingly dominant, but a lot of
0:02:30 > 0:02:34close action. Everyone trying to knock them off the top spot. Even
0:02:34 > 0:02:39the teams further back will be happy. Seven different teams in the
0:02:39 > 0:02:45top ten. That is important. It is because the regulations have been
0:02:45 > 0:02:51stable. There has been changes to the noses and the diffusers, it
0:02:51 > 0:02:58allows the teams to catch up on development and there no -- there
0:02:58 > 0:03:03noise question it is closer. Overtake is easier here, but this
0:03:03 > 0:03:13place poses a different challenge and not just the track. Welcome to
0:03:13 > 0:03:16
0:03:16 > 0:03:23the sauna! # It's so funny that you think you're winning! # The drivers
0:03:23 > 0:03:26have arrived and quite a few fans to tray and keep people cool. Here
0:03:26 > 0:03:32they don't put air conditioning into the garages. That is
0:03:32 > 0:03:37remarkable. But this track was launched in 1999 and the first of
0:03:37 > 0:03:41the Hermann Tilke circuits. It has stood the test of time. This is one
0:03:41 > 0:03:45of the big challenges, going to different conditions and pushing
0:03:45 > 0:03:51everyone to the limit with the attempts. I'm bringing you out into
0:03:51 > 0:03:56the sun to bring back memories of racing here. You have picked up a
0:03:56 > 0:04:02few podiums. The drivers look so hot, did that bring back some
0:04:02 > 0:04:09memories. You can't believe how hot you feel it is. Especially in the
0:04:09 > 0:04:14garage. Lewis Hamilton there with prime spot beside the fan, the
0:04:14 > 0:04:20drivers blowing dry ice through the systems. We're not used to see the
0:04:20 > 0:04:26sweat on the drivers. And you haven't got air conditioning in
0:04:26 > 0:04:35your commentary box. And this sport is as hot off the track as it is on
0:04:35 > 0:04:40it. Here is Lee McKenzie with the latest. Never a sport to shy from
0:04:40 > 0:04:46drama, even after just one race, the rumour mill has been saying
0:04:46 > 0:04:51that Felipe Massa will not be a Ferrari driver for much longer.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56After his poor performance in Australia, even the Italian media
0:04:56 > 0:05:00have had enough. There is full trust of him in the team. We have
0:05:00 > 0:05:07been testing in the wipbt we are the same car and he was not more
0:05:07 > 0:05:13than one tenth between us N Australia, I think it was a one off
0:05:13 > 0:05:18aye expect Ferrari and Felipe Massa to be for many time and many strong.
0:05:18 > 0:05:24As Ferrari's leading light, its thought Perez would be in line for
0:05:24 > 0:05:29a Ferrari start. But whether it is this season remains to be seen and
0:05:30 > 0:05:34it depends whether sauber will release him. We do not want to
0:05:34 > 0:05:38engage in speculation. Our position is clear. Last August we announced
0:05:38 > 0:05:44our driver line up and Sergio was one of the drivers. He is still one
0:05:44 > 0:05:48of our drivers and we plan to do the season with him. McLaren's
0:05:48 > 0:05:54drivers had varying degrees of smiles, but Lewis Hamilton is
0:05:54 > 0:05:58trying to stay positive, despite starting in poll and finishing
0:05:58 > 0:06:03third. There was positive, as Jenson Button won and we had great
0:06:03 > 0:06:09pace and we were the dm napbt team. This weekend that is a positive we
0:06:09 > 0:06:13can bring here. - Odom napbt. Jenson Button thinks the back maybe
0:06:13 > 0:06:19closer and is wary of overconfidence. In term of as a
0:06:19 > 0:06:24team, not making mistakes, we did well. I don't think other teams did
0:06:24 > 0:06:29that. When Red Bull got their act together they were be competitive
0:06:29 > 0:06:33and we can't, yeah, we have got to be careful with the confidence we
0:06:34 > 0:06:39bring into this race. Also ering on the side of caution is Sebastian
0:06:39 > 0:06:43Vettel, who doesn't think it will be easy to catch the McLarens here.
0:06:44 > 0:06:49Last weekend they had the upper hand and they are the ones to beat
0:06:49 > 0:06:52this weekend. But I think the race helped us a lot to know and
0:06:52 > 0:06:56understand more about the car. Nevertheless I think the win was
0:06:56 > 0:07:02out of reach and yeah, there is a lot to do for us. Last night wasn't
0:07:02 > 0:07:07a great one for Lotus. First their hospitality unit was destroyed by a
0:07:07 > 0:07:10fire. But they did save the drivers' race kits. They had to
0:07:10 > 0:07:19change the gear box for Kimi Raikkonen, resulting in a five
0:07:19 > 0:07:27place grid penalty for tomorrow's race. A weekend to forget for Lotus.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31It is a difficult car to steer, the Ferrari. One arrow would do. But
0:07:31 > 0:07:37four required by Ferrari. Here is Felipe Massa's car. They have extra
0:07:37 > 0:07:42bar tkwrors try to keep us away. They are -- barriers to try to keep
0:07:42 > 0:07:46us "Way. They are feeling defensive. He has a new car here. He didn't
0:07:46 > 0:07:51have a great start in Australia. But they have given him a new
0:07:51 > 0:07:56package and then he has to deliver or questions will be asked. It will
0:07:56 > 0:08:01be a long year, which can't wait to get back to Silverstone in July.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05But Ferrari need to take advantage of the break before China?
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Silverstone was the last victory for Ferrari, it seems 5 long time
0:08:09 > 0:08:13ago now. They have to develop the car as best they can and failure is
0:08:13 > 0:08:16not an option. All eyes will be on the other teams and trying to
0:08:16 > 0:08:20understand where they have gone wrong. It is tight up here where it
0:08:21 > 0:08:24is fast. It is equally competitive in midfield and we started the
0:08:24 > 0:08:28season thinking that Force India would have a car to really
0:08:29 > 0:08:32challenge the rest, but it has been tough for them. That he had great
0:08:32 > 0:08:36season last year. They developed the car well and you felt there was
0:08:36 > 0:08:41a sense of team moving forward. They haven't started well this year.
0:08:41 > 0:08:47And they're not expecting big things this weekend. So a difficult
0:08:47 > 0:08:51time for Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg. Do you think he has
0:08:51 > 0:08:57been behind in the times, Paul. There is no question, second year,
0:08:57 > 0:09:02he does haven't that rookie season to play on. Jackie Stewart said it
0:09:02 > 0:09:08is always difficult the second year. They're both tide in the amount of
0:09:08 > 0:09:13Grand Prixs they have -- tied in the amount of Grand Prixs they have
0:09:13 > 0:09:17completed. The engines are firing up. We're getting close to showing
0:09:17 > 0:09:20you action. First let's talk about Williams, they would have been
0:09:20 > 0:09:27delighted listen they started on the fourth row of the grid, but
0:09:27 > 0:09:31then the race came up. Williams feel they have a chance of beating
0:09:31 > 0:09:37Ferrari and Pastor Maldonado is behind Fernando Alonso. It was
0:09:37 > 0:09:41quicker for him and he was losing grip. It is a big moment for Pastor
0:09:41 > 0:09:46Maldonado, if he sniffs an opportunity, he will go for it.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50was possible. Even in the last lap. If he finishes where he is now, he
0:09:50 > 0:09:55would get eight points. That is more that Williams scored
0:09:55 > 0:10:00throughout last year. Up to the end, I just missed, put the car on the
0:10:00 > 0:10:07wrong side, I was too much on the curb and too close to Fernando and
0:10:07 > 0:10:17I lost down force and then I had a snap over steer and lost the back
0:10:17 > 0:10:23
0:10:23 > 0:10:28of the car. A bad moment. Bad moment for all the team. It is
0:10:29 > 0:10:34frustrating, no one was more frustrated than him. This isration,
0:10:34 > 0:10:39anything can happen. -- this is racing, anything can happen. From
0:10:39 > 0:10:46where we came last year it was encouraging to sea the car pushing
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Ferrari. Last year was the worst season in Williams's history. The
0:10:51 > 0:10:56team finished with just five points. But changes to the back room team
0:10:56 > 0:11:02and a new engine and an encouraging showing in Australia have given the
0:11:02 > 0:11:08team a new lease of life. Everything is working better, even
0:11:08 > 0:11:13with the new engine. Many new particulars. So a bit more easy.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16wasen just the car that came in for criticism last year. Pastor
0:11:16 > 0:11:22Maldonado found his rookie season tough going. He was singled out
0:11:22 > 0:11:27more for the money he brings to the team, rather than his driving
0:11:27 > 0:11:34skills. I'm here just to do my best. Not to say I'm a great driver or
0:11:34 > 0:11:39not. That is more... Passion for Formula One. But I think I'm
0:11:39 > 0:11:43getting more confident with the team, more experienced and step by
0:11:43 > 0:11:46step I will be there in the front. He has become a more complete
0:11:46 > 0:11:52driver and he has been very competitive and very consistent all
0:11:52 > 0:11:57the way through. His general driving style has calmed down and
0:11:57 > 0:12:02his tyre management has improved. He is much more the complete
0:12:02 > 0:12:06package. Still a long way to go. Encouraging sign and we will know
0:12:06 > 0:12:14better by the time we get to Barcelona how competitive the car
0:12:14 > 0:12:20is, but early signs are good. HUMPHREY: Sadly for the team, it
0:12:20 > 0:12:25looked more than good until that final last. We all want Williams to
0:12:25 > 0:12:29do well. Ther on for scoring eight point, considering they only scored
0:12:29 > 0:12:36five last season. Pastor Maldonado maybe should have just been
0:12:36 > 0:12:43cautious. But it shows an attacking spirit. Bruno Senna, inusual there
0:12:43 > 0:12:47are two Senna names on the car, they have been car tkwrig Ayrton
0:12:47 > 0:12:52Senna logo. He has to raise his game, otherwise questions will be
0:12:52 > 0:13:00asked. What do you expect from qualifying? It is look tight
0:13:00 > 0:13:08between Maher, Red Bull, McLaren. Yes but Red Bull looked strong. -
0:13:08 > 0:13:13Maher. -- Mercedes. The question is for Red Bull is can they get in
0:13:13 > 0:13:20front of McLaren and Mercedes? next few minutes will answer those
0:13:20 > 0:13:30questions. It is the commentry -- commentary box for David and he is
0:13:30 > 0:13:35
0:13:35 > 0:13:42returned from a leg breaking crash and a three month recovery to take
0:13:42 > 0:13:52the first ever poll position here at Sepang. But who will tkwrab the
0:13:52 > 0:14:00-- grab the top spot. It is very warm. Air temperature of 32 degrees,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03humidity is 51% and the track temperature 44 degrees. Mercedes
0:14:03 > 0:14:09have shown tremendous pace, but we saw McLaren's pace in Melbourne
0:14:09 > 0:14:14last time and it could be quite a fight for top spot. McLaren had
0:14:14 > 0:14:18their pace in the first Grand Prix. It seemed a long time since we were
0:14:18 > 0:14:23in Melbourne. But they will be looking to built on that and it is
0:14:23 > 0:14:27important to build up points in the early part of sfpblt tomorrow is
0:14:27 > 0:14:37another day, but this is a big question mark, can Red Bull get
0:14:37 > 0:14:44
0:14:44 > 0:14:48more performance out of their car first turn. Nice and gently does it.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52You have to patient with this corner. You can see how a patient
0:14:52 > 0:14:58he was, through second gear nice and steadily. One of the things
0:14:58 > 0:15:02they try to avoid on these Pirelli tyres is wheelspin, it does not
0:15:02 > 0:15:06seem to recover very well around the rest of the lap so you have to
0:15:06 > 0:15:11be very cautious. Trying to save as much performance as he starts to
0:15:11 > 0:15:19build his way into the meatier part of the track, where the drivers
0:15:19 > 0:15:28love to qualify the car. 5 and 6. 160 mph. It's that kerb, that
0:15:28 > 0:15:35unsettled the car. Then hard on to the brakes, turn No. 9 and brings
0:15:35 > 0:15:39us to the end of s two. No one outside setting times. He will be
0:15:39 > 0:15:43doing purple sectors, he is the fastest man on the track. I would
0:15:43 > 0:15:51be surprised if that remains the case. They can't really working
0:15:51 > 0:15:55through the chicane and now into the right-hander, onto the first of
0:15:55 > 0:16:00two long straights which are virtually parallel. This massively
0:16:00 > 0:16:04long Grandstand, 30,000 seats. All the way down to the last corner.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09You will see a lot of that, the brakes knocking on the inside front
0:16:09 > 0:16:19tyre. Expect to see plenty more of that. This is the initial
0:16:19 > 0:16:20
0:16:20 > 0:16:25benchmarks. 1:38.9. We didn't see 36.8 from Nico Rosberg this morning.
0:16:25 > 0:16:31That is similar. That is lower than what he managed on the morning
0:16:32 > 0:16:38session. He is on the harder tyres. This is a replay. Nipping that
0:16:38 > 0:16:42inside kerb. Look at that er a dynamic movement, so much of the
0:16:42 > 0:16:46suspension troubles and this car and that is in the tyres. Lewis
0:16:46 > 0:16:51Hamilton, Mark Webber getting out of the way as he goes through turn
0:16:51 > 0:16:56number five. Gathers it up for the next part of turn No. 6. Let's
0:16:56 > 0:17:01contrast the driving styles. Nice and steady, understeer, I would
0:17:01 > 0:17:06suggest for the second part of the corner. No clipping the kerb like
0:17:06 > 0:17:11with Paul di Resta. He had an off practice this morning. Not much
0:17:11 > 0:17:15running with the car. He was fastest on Friday, though, and
0:17:15 > 0:17:20seemed to be very confident with the handling on this circuit. We
0:17:20 > 0:17:27will keep an eye on Lewis Hamilton. Step times looking OK but not the
0:17:27 > 0:17:31fastest. Also on the prime tyres. This weekend, that is a hard tyre.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35You can barely see any markings on the side wall, it looks black.
0:17:35 > 0:17:42There are some silver markings to indicate that it is a hard tyre.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46The last corner. That trace of smoke from the inside front left
0:17:46 > 0:17:52and then bang on to the power. Kimi Raikkonen has gone fastest for the
0:17:52 > 0:17:57moment but Hamilton Beach that. Jensen Button is coming around
0:17:57 > 0:18:03further back on the lap. And with the harder tyre being used by both
0:18:03 > 0:18:07McLaren cars at the moment. suspect that the harder tyre is
0:18:07 > 0:18:11anything from half a second, depending on the car, in
0:18:11 > 0:18:16performance, so nice, steady runs from all the main contenders.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19Jensen comes to finish his lap, Nico Rosberg has got the fastest in
0:18:19 > 0:18:28the first sector. That is a characteristic that Mercedes has
0:18:28 > 0:18:31been showing all weekend. Let's see what Nico Rosberg can do, the
0:18:31 > 0:18:40fastest first sector time. Smoke coming off the front left as he
0:18:41 > 0:18:45gets into the turn, been to the apex. Is this enough? Yes, 1:37.6.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49As we saw this morning, Nico Rosberg will be on the pace.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Remember, this first part of qualifying is about getting through
0:18:54 > 0:19:03to the second part. Let's get some news from the pits. What can you
0:19:03 > 0:19:08tell us that we have to be looking for? The top cars are on a hard
0:19:08 > 0:19:13tyres and that is a good lap from Rosberg, Reich and and, if they
0:19:13 > 0:19:16look comfortable. If you're down in the 38.5, you will have to be the
0:19:16 > 0:19:23second lap and the harder tyre will give you a reasonable that time.
0:19:23 > 0:19:27And then it falls away. You want to do this as early as possible. And
0:19:27 > 0:19:33lead the softer tyres for the last session. They need to manage that
0:19:33 > 0:19:39effectively. What will Mark Webber do? 37.6 is the time to bid. He
0:19:39 > 0:19:47goes across the line, one 10th fastest for the moment. Safe enough.
0:19:47 > 0:19:57Fernando Alonso in 5th place. Schumacher has gone fastest. 1:37.5.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59
0:19:59 > 0:20:06Mercedes one, too. He is looking for track position. As he comes off
0:20:06 > 0:20:10the turn, he can see in his mirrors the Toro Rosso so he has the
0:20:10 > 0:20:16opportunity to build himself acclaimed lap, it is important to
0:20:16 > 0:20:24get a great launch off this last corner. You take us like the wider
0:20:24 > 0:20:31lying -- wider line on the entry. Then that recharge and he gets that
0:20:31 > 0:20:346.7 seconds of KERS available. The DRS as well. That is available
0:20:34 > 0:20:41everywhere around the lap. For drivers brave enough to push this.
0:20:41 > 0:20:46That is a few corners. There are a lot of high-speed turns. There is
0:20:46 > 0:20:52fully a massive. What can the Ferrari driver do? He has but one
0:20:52 > 0:21:02that in. This one is better. Let's see how far up it puts them? Only
0:21:02 > 0:21:06
0:21:06 > 0:21:1217. It will need to be quicker, 38.6, you're last lap. 37.5. They
0:21:12 > 0:21:18will be comfortably inside the cut- off but Felipe Massa isn't. 17th
0:21:18 > 0:21:22place, the last to get through. We dropped seven cars from the first
0:21:22 > 0:21:26part. That is what you would be looking for in a little while.
0:21:26 > 0:21:33Webber out for that second lap on a hard tyres, he improved marginally
0:21:33 > 0:21:37but still down in 11th place. One second slower. Jensen Button has
0:21:37 > 0:21:41actually been quickest in the middle sector. That is a great
0:21:41 > 0:21:47drive off the last corner, using up any KERS that is in the bank and
0:21:47 > 0:21:51that puts him second quickest. close to Michael Schumacher. On the
0:21:51 > 0:21:58same tyre, he is a few hundredths of a second off what Michael
0:21:58 > 0:22:05Schumacher has done. They are in this hand. Sebastien Vettel goes
0:22:05 > 0:22:117th place. Just ahead of Fernando Alonso, is as safe enough? Mercedes
0:22:11 > 0:22:17indicated the cut-off at 38.6, Sebastien Vettel has done 38.1.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22This is turn No. 4, Lewis Hamilton, well? Something has gone wrong, the
0:22:22 > 0:22:27steering has dropped. The suspension or something. It looked
0:22:27 > 0:22:31like the steering dropped to the right. That is very unusual,
0:22:31 > 0:22:35hopefully we can get another replay as we joined Bruno Senna passing
0:22:35 > 0:22:42Toro Rosso. That isn't an invitation to dinner. He was not
0:22:42 > 0:22:45happy. And Lewis Hamilton is currently 4th fastest. He has one-
0:22:46 > 0:22:51lap that is comfortably enough to go through into the second part of
0:22:51 > 0:22:58qualifying. Clearly, that was not quite right. You can see the brake
0:22:58 > 0:23:03dust, it is heavy for braking, you would expect to see dust. They will
0:23:03 > 0:23:07not be running the same level of cooling on the brakes today. That
0:23:07 > 0:23:12was actually a slight improvement. We are seeing the replay of the
0:23:12 > 0:23:18previous lap. I would like to see that again, we had some rain
0:23:18 > 0:23:22earlier and it is possible that... Michael Schumacher? Absolutely.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26They are getting these hard tyres to last a couple of laps, which
0:23:26 > 0:23:32isn't what you would expect in the latter part of qualifying and you
0:23:32 > 0:23:37are on to the option tyres. Medium. We expect they will only get one
0:23:37 > 0:23:43run out of these tyres. We will see some option tyres appearing for
0:23:43 > 0:23:50those guys trying to get into the top 17, Heikki Kovalainen. What
0:23:51 > 0:24:00does he have to do? 20th place. Owned by the Malaysian businessman,
0:24:01 > 0:24:02
0:24:02 > 0:24:10so this is like a Home event. He will have to suffer a five place
0:24:10 > 0:24:14penalty. He isn't the only man. Kimi Raikkonen, he has the gearbox
0:24:14 > 0:24:19change as well as the Lotus team having a fire last night. He lost
0:24:19 > 0:24:25one of his crash helmets and that fire. Not going well for the Lotus
0:24:25 > 0:24:31team so far this weekend. Apparently a fridge caught fire
0:24:31 > 0:24:41last night. The guys have to decant into another hospitality in it.
0:24:41 > 0:24:47
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Tony Fernandez, the Order of capture him. -- owner of Caterham.
0:24:51 > 0:24:57Felipe Massa, on the screen. The Ferrari is in danger of not making
0:24:57 > 0:25:07progress through to the second part. We have already started to lose the
0:25:07 > 0:25:12
0:25:12 > 0:25:16rear. That's the only real issue with the rear. Thumbs up, so all
0:25:16 > 0:25:20good as far as he is concerned. Under the final corner, Felipe
0:25:20 > 0:25:28Massa, desperate to get out of the drop zone in qualifying. He moves
0:25:28 > 0:25:35up, 11th. 1:38.3. We will see a lot of improvements in the remaining
0:25:35 > 0:25:41minutes. Bruno Senna, in the Williams. Currently 16th place and
0:25:41 > 0:25:49not very safe. He needs more than that. One behind Felipe Massa. If
0:25:49 > 0:25:56you take that as a reference point, he will not be happy about that.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Jean-Eric Vergne. In the Toro Rosso, he has work to do. So, he will be
0:26:00 > 0:26:03very keen. I do not think this lap will do anything because looking at
0:26:03 > 0:26:08the split times, there is no improvement and he will have to now
0:26:08 > 0:26:13get on to the case and see if the next lap works. He was on and out
0:26:13 > 0:26:18lap. Look at the front wing. The front right hand side, because of
0:26:19 > 0:26:23the writing on a tyre, it makes a tyre look like it is out of balance.
0:26:23 > 0:26:33We can see the lock-up in to turn number one, the previous lap. Very
0:26:33 > 0:26:34
0:26:34 > 0:26:40wide. We will see a lot of that this weekend. Of course, the front
0:26:40 > 0:26:44wings, they have to be more solid than last year, there is a new test
0:26:44 > 0:26:52introduced when they put a large weight on the end of the wing to
0:26:52 > 0:26:57test it that flexes are not and that is a lot greater. Curry?
0:26:57 > 0:27:03they have done his bit is the same test, 100 kilograms on the side of
0:27:03 > 0:27:06the wing, but they also have to test 100 kilograms on one side so
0:27:06 > 0:27:11that does stop the wing from flexing too much. It is a lot
0:27:11 > 0:27:17tighter. And flexing the wings isn't something you can get much
0:27:17 > 0:27:22out of. Sergio Perez has just gone, 6th fastest in the Sauber. It is
0:27:22 > 0:27:25getting tougher out there. Mark Webber has now set a very good
0:27:25 > 0:27:31middle sector time and he is still on the prime tyres. Mark Webber
0:27:31 > 0:27:38trying to move up the order himself. 17th at the moment. This land
0:27:38 > 0:27:45should put unsafe. Yes, he goes fastest. That was a great flat.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50Impressive on those harder tyres. They have put the engine into the
0:27:50 > 0:27:53full mode. And used all the toys at his disposal and the track will be
0:27:53 > 0:27:56a ball thing as the rubber goes down and you have to counter that
0:27:57 > 0:28:01with the fact that you need a stable track temperature.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05chequered flag is just a few seconds away from being held up and
0:28:05 > 0:28:10Heikki Kovalainen has not done enough. It looks like he will be in
0:28:10 > 0:28:15the drop zone. Jean-Eric Vergne is the one who might ride himself out.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19We have just seen that he has gone on to a lap. Timo Glock, 21st place,
0:28:19 > 0:28:25he will not make it through, and his team-mate, Charles Pic, his
0:28:25 > 0:28:2922nd. That is a very respectable performance for the young French
0:28:29 > 0:28:37review. Timo Glock is very experienced and he should be very
0:28:37 > 0:28:46pleased with that. We should see the Hitachi cars qualifying on the
0:28:46 > 0:28:51grid. They should be safe this time. Mark Webber has topped the times.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56Do Jean-Eric Vergne. I am afraid, there he is, and he is out of the
0:28:56 > 0:29:00rest of qualifying. He won not be able to take part. That is a
0:29:00 > 0:29:04surprise because the Toro Rosso seemed to be going well? We saw
0:29:04 > 0:29:12they were quick in the race on Sunday in Melbourne but in Jean-
0:29:12 > 0:29:17Eric Vergne falls victim to qualifying. Going very wide, there.
0:29:17 > 0:29:26He was actually on a better lap. He was green on his first two sectors,
0:29:26 > 0:29:32which means personal best. He had a slow were last sector. I think that
0:29:32 > 0:29:38is a very respectable comeback from picture to. We are through to the
0:29:38 > 0:29:48next session. That is nice to hear, Bruno Senna. Through to the next
0:29:48 > 0:30:01
0:30:01 > 0:30:11Maldonado is fifth. Lewis Hamilton, Perez, Raikkonen and Vettel.
0:30:11 > 0:30:16
0:30:16 > 0:30:21Failing to make it, verg -- Jean- Eric Vergne. JAKE HUMPHREY: I will
0:30:21 > 0:30:27walk with you, 21st, a second and a half behind Caterham. How would you
0:30:27 > 0:30:30rate that session? We made a step and gained in terms of car
0:30:30 > 0:30:37performance to Melbourne. I understand the car better. But
0:30:37 > 0:30:44today, the car wasn't that nice to me. It shocked me a bit, because I
0:30:44 > 0:30:49struggled with the option tyre. That is unusual. Everyone else
0:30:49 > 0:30:54found a second. I went a bit blind into it. But I think we made the
0:30:54 > 0:30:59right changes. But I didn't trust the tyre. I didn't have the
0:30:59 > 0:31:06confidence and I had two little mistakes. But many general it is a
0:31:06 > 0:31:11learning process, we have to be happy. You got both cars to the
0:31:11 > 0:31:16finish in Australia. Are you hoping for plenty of rain to move up the
0:31:16 > 0:31:21grid? This is a key point for us, to finish the race. If it is raisey
0:31:21 > 0:31:26in terms of rain, what you have here normally, everything can be
0:31:26 > 0:31:34possible. We have to keep the car on track and finish the race. See
0:31:34 > 0:31:37where we end up. 30-something degrees and you look a cool
0:31:37 > 0:31:42customer. COMMENTATOR: Here is the second segment of qualifying.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46Everyone has to fight for position and it is to get into the top ten
0:31:46 > 0:31:51of course. There is Nico Rosberg, who has been impressive this
0:31:51 > 0:31:56weekend, with the sort of times he has been doing for Mercedes. But so
0:31:56 > 0:32:03has Michael Schumacher. It is Lewis Hamilton, never been on poll in
0:32:03 > 0:32:11Malaysia and there has ne'er been a McLaren poll position in - - never
0:32:12 > 0:32:16been a McLaren poll position in Malaysia, over the years it was
0:32:16 > 0:32:19dominated by Michael Schumacher. He took four poll positions on the
0:32:20 > 0:32:23trot. So he is the king of qualifying here in the past in his
0:32:23 > 0:32:27earlier career. But you noi, Michael Schumacher might have a
0:32:27 > 0:32:35chance today to perhaps take his first poll since returning to the
0:32:35 > 0:32:41sport. We will find out in a little while. Perez is on to his first
0:32:41 > 0:32:47flaying lap. A bit of work going on there at the steering wheel. That
0:32:47 > 0:32:51is the third slowest corner, immediately he got ambushed at turn
0:32:51 > 0:32:56two. You can't see the apex and you have to be cautious through that
0:32:56 > 0:33:01sector. Turn three is pretty much just a positioner. He gets a bit of
0:33:01 > 0:33:06oversteer on to turn four. That may have cost him getting the throttle
0:33:06 > 0:33:11open. You go into the blind entry turn five and pull the car back and
0:33:11 > 0:33:16try and keep your foot to the floor. He runs very wide. Oh I thought he
0:33:16 > 0:33:21was going off! That is what you call getting away with it! You get
0:33:21 > 0:33:26off the main line and you lose more grip, because it is so dirty
0:33:26 > 0:33:32outside. The surface temperature of the tyres, it is so warm, once you
0:33:32 > 0:33:39Rupp on to the dust sh it gets picked up and affects the next few
0:33:39 > 0:33:48corners. That would have cost him some time. But nonetheless he's
0:33:48 > 0:33:55kept his foot in. He is tidier than he was on his outlap. He got some
0:33:55 > 0:33:59oversteer on the lap he was building up to speed. Look --
0:33:59 > 0:34:03looking more aggressive. He has some traffic to deal with, but
0:34:03 > 0:34:06Senna keeps out of way. That shouldn't hurt him too much. Let's
0:34:06 > 0:34:12see what Perez is going to do. He is the first to cross the line and
0:34:12 > 0:34:20establish a bench mark. 1.39.0. I don't think he will be too pleased
0:34:20 > 0:34:29with that You spotted the overstare and he certainly had it. --
0:34:29 > 0:34:33oversteer. Two tenths of a seconds lost. You know how critical it I to,
0:34:33 > 0:34:39even if you don't ace the corner, you don't want to be dropping time.
0:34:39 > 0:34:45You see Kimi Raikkonen coming to the end of his first lap in Q2.
0:34:45 > 0:34:53man who took his first ever victory here at Sepang. He needs a goods
0:34:53 > 0:34:58lap and wants to get into the top ten. He goes fastest now. 1. 36.7.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03That is the fattest time in qualifying. Will that -- fastest
0:35:03 > 0:35:10time in qualifying. Will that be enough? He is on the gravel.
0:35:10 > 0:35:15Somebody on the edge, it is Senna. I am not sure. It might be Pastor
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Maldonado. Yes it is Pastor Maldonado. We saw him go well in
0:35:19 > 0:35:22the first part of qualifying, but that won't help ch he has the
0:35:22 > 0:35:29softer tyre on and that is an interesting place to go off isn't
0:35:29 > 0:35:35it? That was into the run of turn 11, which normally you never
0:35:35 > 0:35:40unthrod car. He gets the -- unload the car. He gets the car on the
0:35:40 > 0:35:45kerb. You aren't doing anything other than trying to run around the
0:35:45 > 0:35:50outside of turn 10. Your eye line is looking to the apex around the
0:35:50 > 0:35:55corner. You can't see it until after you have turned in. What
0:35:56 > 0:35:59about Rosberg? Will he put in a quick lap? He is sixth fastest at
0:35:59 > 0:36:04the moment. He and Michael Schumacher are again very evenly
0:36:04 > 0:36:10paced. They have both done a mid 1.37. Let's think about those who
0:36:10 > 0:36:17are not in the top ten, it that Felipe Massa, Perez, Paul di Resta,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Nico Hulkenberg and Senna has not done a time. Some damage there.
0:36:21 > 0:36:27That is extensive damage to what seemed like a straight forward run
0:36:27 > 0:36:34into the gravel. Oh a big slide for tkwrostkwros -- Romain Grosjean.
0:36:34 > 0:36:40What a horrible way to start the lap. That is where patience is a
0:36:40 > 0:36:46virtue. You have got to be tidy. You can win a bit of time by being
0:36:46 > 0:36:53aggressive, but you lose a whole heap of time if you get it wrong.
0:36:53 > 0:36:58So a bit of inexperience from Romain Grosjean. He was impressive
0:36:59 > 0:37:03in Melbourne. He has been impressive in qualifying here in
0:37:03 > 0:37:13GP2. But it is a different story now in a Formula One car. So we
0:37:13 > 0:37:14
0:37:14 > 0:37:18will have to see what he can do. He has done the best of anybody in the
0:37:18 > 0:37:23middle sector. What a fantastic run there. A good come back. He is
0:37:23 > 0:37:28about four times slower than his team mate, Kimi Raikkonen, in the
0:37:28 > 0:37:33first sector. But quickest man in that middle sector. That is a
0:37:33 > 0:37:37technical part of lap. That Lotus car is working beautifully. Good
0:37:38 > 0:37:44stuff there from Romain Grosjean as he heads to the final corner and
0:37:44 > 0:37:48the Lotus is lacking competitive, as we saw in Melbourne. -- looking
0:37:48 > 0:37:54competitive. He has got to be patient. He clambers over the kerb.
0:37:54 > 0:37:59Let's see where this puts Romain Grosjean, he goes fourth fastest,
0:37:59 > 0:38:05but Lotus are first and fourth at the moment. But those in the drop
0:38:05 > 0:38:12zone are Felipe Massa, Perez, rest and Pastor Maldonado. Let's look
0:38:12 > 0:38:19back at what he did there. Oh that was a bit wide. That is turn 14.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22That take him on the 800 metre back straight. He used all of the track
0:38:22 > 0:38:27and more. Now pressure on Felipe Massa again. He has got to drag
0:38:27 > 0:38:33himself out from 12th and get into that top ten. Fernando Alonso is
0:38:33 > 0:38:37only 10th himself. Ferrari struggling to get into the top ten
0:38:37 > 0:38:41in qualifying. They have struggled since this car first took to the
0:38:41 > 0:38:44tracks in the winter testing and they haven't had much opportunity
0:38:45 > 0:38:50to change it. Some changes to the front wing, but that will be
0:38:50 > 0:38:58enough? I am not sure. Felipe Massa setting his best sectors in the
0:38:58 > 0:39:07fist two runs. But he is struggling for traction. A very late opening
0:39:07 > 0:39:13of DRS. That will have caused him some acceleration. Vital to deploy
0:39:13 > 0:39:18KERS and DRS as soon as you can. Will this get him out of drop zone?
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Yes, but not by have much. He is ninth fastest. That puts Fernando
0:39:22 > 0:39:26Alonso into the drop zone, so now he has got to get his Ferrari, he
0:39:26 > 0:39:33is on a lap hear the is better than what he has done to date. We are
0:39:33 > 0:39:38with him now. Listen to this. Another gear change in the middle
0:39:39 > 0:39:44of that section. Down through the gears A bit wide. Back on the power,
0:39:44 > 0:39:48just rumbles along the kerb. Hoping that DRS is operating that rear
0:39:49 > 0:39:57wing flap is open and then it flicks closed and gives him down
0:39:57 > 0:40:02force. A bit widen't last -- a bit wide on the last corner. Across the
0:40:02 > 0:40:12line he goes, he gs up to six Athletic Massa is now tenth and
0:40:12 > 0:40:19only just in. Let's see whether anybody else can beat that. Here is
0:40:19 > 0:40:24Sergio Perez. Massa is only four tenth behind Alonso. Perez has
0:40:24 > 0:40:29popped into eighth a that puts Massa in the drop zone. What can
0:40:29 > 0:40:33Bruno Senna do? He is only 12th. Pastor Maldonado still not back out
0:40:33 > 0:40:40of course after the damage to his car. Paul di Resta trying to get
0:40:40 > 0:40:46the Force India up there. A bit of a lock up there. Mald is on track.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51-- Pastor Maldonado is on track. What can rest do? 13Th it is not
0:40:51 > 0:40:55enoughment and Nico Hulkenberg hasn't done a time for some reason.
0:40:55 > 0:41:02Neither Force India look as if they will go through. Pastor Maldonado
0:41:02 > 0:41:06here, after repairs, will we see him through? He is ninth he is just
0:41:07 > 0:41:11in there. He has pushed Michael Schumacher out. Across the line
0:41:11 > 0:41:15goes Nico Hulkenberg and he is only 15th. That is not enough at all.
0:41:15 > 0:41:21We're on board with Kobayashi in the other Sauber. He triesing to
0:41:21 > 0:41:28move up from 16th. Can he do anything to get into the top ten?
0:41:28 > 0:41:33It is 16th. Ricardo is struggling in 17th. Unlikely he will improve
0:41:33 > 0:41:37much. Is Michael Schumacher on a lap? Is he out there? Yes he is.
0:41:37 > 0:41:42Just come out of turn two. A crucial lap for Michael Schumacher.
0:41:42 > 0:41:47It should be a formality for him to get through. This Mercedes isn't
0:41:47 > 0:41:52showing great speed around this track. He makes those adjustments
0:41:52 > 0:41:57on the brake balance again and he does it so many times, you see his
0:41:57 > 0:42:01hand come off the wheel and diver down somewhere and come bafpblgt
0:42:01 > 0:42:08is constantly playing with the brake balance. He look like he got
0:42:08 > 0:42:13out of throttle. Did he get too deep? He is coming up to the end of
0:42:13 > 0:42:17S2. They climb out of turn nine. is a personal best, but will that
0:42:17 > 0:42:21be enough? It should be enough to drag him back into the top ten. But
0:42:21 > 0:42:25it is Nico Rosberg who is under threat. They both having to go for
0:42:25 > 0:42:30it and it will put Pastor Maldonado's position under threat.
0:42:30 > 0:42:35They have left it lift a. What is the lap time like for Rosberg?
0:42:35 > 0:42:41Should be enough. Yes easy. Third fastest for Nico Rosberg. Now it is
0:42:41 > 0:42:44up to Michael Schumacher to do the job as well and if he does, he will
0:42:44 > 0:42:50push Pastor Maldonado out of the top ten and Williams will not get
0:42:50 > 0:42:54that car into the top ten as we saw in Melbourne. Just complete the lap
0:42:54 > 0:42:58for Michael Schumacher, he is up to fourth. Evenly matched between Nico
0:42:58 > 0:43:02Rosberg and Michael Schumacher. We have our top ten and unfortunately
0:43:02 > 0:43:07for Pastor Maldonado, he has just failed to make it. But so has mas
0:43:07 > 0:43:15Alex Salmond so Fernando Alonso is in the top ten, Felipe Massa is out
0:43:15 > 0:43:20-- but so has Felipe Massa, so Fernando Alonso is in the top ten.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24So a dramatic second qualifying segment. Kimi Raikkonen set the
0:43:24 > 0:43:34pace. Let's see what Felipe Massa was up to here, David. A classic
0:43:34 > 0:43:35
0:43:35 > 0:43:41locking of the left front. We're P 12 everyone through. We did pract
0:43:41 > 0:43:48lay 37.4. So what was a good effort. Rob Smedley there trying to put a
0:43:48 > 0:43:52good feel on it for Felipe Massa. He is only three tenths off Alonso.
0:43:52 > 0:43:59That is an issue when you're in a season where the car is not working
0:43:59 > 0:44:05so well. At the front end of grid you can be three tenths off and
0:44:06 > 0:44:15still be second. So those knocked out in Q2, maldmaltd, Felipe Massa,
0:44:16 > 0:44:17
0:44:17 > 0:44:22Senna, Ricardo, Nico Hulkenberg and Kobayashi. -- Pastor Maldonado.
0:44:22 > 0:44:26JAKE HUMPHREY: So where they will JAKE HUMPHREY: So where they will
0:44:26 > 0:44:31be happy is in the the garage here. They have got every right to think
0:44:31 > 0:44:41they could be in poll position. They have designed a car that in
0:44:41 > 0:44:57
0:44:57 > 0:45:02qualifying is past fast and you It goes up the side of the sassy,
0:45:02 > 0:45:06into the nose and into the front wing. -- chassis. There is no
0:45:06 > 0:45:11pressure sucking that down to the ground so that he skips and that
0:45:12 > 0:45:17air can be sacked from there. Normally, with other cars, the rear
0:45:17 > 0:45:21will rise up but with this car, the Complete Car rises up so it is more
0:45:21 > 0:45:26efficient. And it keeps their aerodynamic balance through fast
0:45:26 > 0:45:29corners so it allows them to run through fast corners with less
0:45:29 > 0:45:37downforce and still have a quicker top speed. The kind of things you
0:45:37 > 0:45:41do not see in Formula One, and the other things is they had a problem
0:45:41 > 0:45:45with this and they spent 50% of their energy complaining about this
0:45:45 > 0:45:50but they also should spend at energy designing their own version.
0:45:50 > 0:45:55It isn't easy, you have to come up with the new front wing concept and
0:45:55 > 0:46:00it is a secondary function for opening the DRS and are you allowed
0:46:00 > 0:46:06to? Barcelona will be the time we will see this. Looking forward to
0:46:06 > 0:46:11that. You think that is a nifty piece of design. Is it good enough
0:46:11 > 0:46:21to help Mercedes pick up pole position? Time to find out -- time
0:46:21 > 0:46:23
0:46:23 > 0:46:28to find out what the final part of position between Red Bull and
0:46:28 > 0:46:33McLaren and Mercedes, in particular. We have the Ferrari in the next and
0:46:33 > 0:46:39Lotus. That is a difficult one to judge because Kimi Raikkonen was
0:46:39 > 0:46:49fastest in K2, Grosjean is also in there and he qualified in third in
0:46:49 > 0:46:50
0:46:50 > 0:46:56Melbourne. Kimi Raikkonen in the Lotus, Lotus is Malaysian owned, by
0:46:57 > 0:47:02Proton, so it is a bit of a home race for them. So experienced but
0:47:02 > 0:47:07has never been on pole position in Malaysia. Despite winning in the
0:47:07 > 0:47:14past on two occasions. None other little mistakes that we saw from
0:47:14 > 0:47:19Grosjean, there. Integer number four, the down shift into second
0:47:19 > 0:47:28gear. He was carrying the speed into the corner. I had better drop
0:47:28 > 0:47:33the gear. Oversteer in the middle of five. The position for six...
0:47:33 > 0:47:43This is Kimi Raikkonen's return to form a low one. That big slide will
0:47:43 > 0:47:43
0:47:43 > 0:47:48cost 10. This is definitely more rallies style. This isn't what we
0:47:48 > 0:47:52saw in the previous part of qualifying. -- Formula One. That
0:47:52 > 0:47:57thing that looks like a battery on the graphic, he has used have of
0:47:57 > 0:48:02that. He can use that during the qualifying lap. The penultimate
0:48:02 > 0:48:09corner. The back wanting to come around. We are presenting he has
0:48:09 > 0:48:16gone out on a new set of options. Could he have been out on a set
0:48:16 > 0:48:21from the previous qualifying? Then put the new tyres on and go for the
0:48:21 > 0:48:28glory run at the end. We expect the real group to have gone off in that
0:48:28 > 0:48:37case. 1:36.8. Still a pretty good time. Now, Jensen Button will try
0:48:37 > 0:48:45to beat that. He is going faster, here comes Hamilton. He has got the
0:48:45 > 0:48:48fastest first sector, second sector, he goes fastest across the line.
0:48:48 > 0:48:53Another great lad from Lewis Hamilton. Will it be enough, like
0:48:53 > 0:48:57in Melbourne? Whoever is fourth- fastest. Growth on his 5th fastest.
0:48:57 > 0:49:02Has Hamilton done what he did in Melbourne and put down a really
0:49:02 > 0:49:07quick lap early in the session at that nobody else can beat. Across
0:49:07 > 0:49:17the line, Sebastian Vettel, on the 6th fastest. Still waiting for
0:49:17 > 0:49:19
0:49:19 > 0:49:24Mercedes. They have just come out. 1, 2 for McLaren at this stage.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27would not be surprised if he locks up, he gets some oversteer which
0:49:27 > 0:49:32costs in time which let's us know how great the rest of the lap must
0:49:32 > 0:49:38have been. Confirmation that Kimi Raikkonen was out on new tyres,
0:49:38 > 0:49:42pretty impressive when you consider how much she was working the wheel.
0:49:42 > 0:49:47Faster in the Lotus. You have to be careful because that could end up
0:49:47 > 0:49:52being the fastest lap time you achieve and you start the race on
0:49:52 > 0:49:56that same set of tyres and you cannot afford any flat spots. They
0:49:56 > 0:50:01have the opportunity to rebalance any tyres but they could not change
0:50:01 > 0:50:05the tyre without incurring a penalty. His Mercedes really up for
0:50:05 > 0:50:10the battle for pole position? Is this clever system on the car going
0:50:10 > 0:50:15to give them that extra straight- line speed? We are about to find
0:50:16 > 0:50:20out. Nico Rosberg is on a lap and Michael Schumacher isn't going to
0:50:20 > 0:50:24be too far behind. We will look at those sector times. He is a
0:50:24 > 0:50:29fraction down on the first sector and yesterday it was at first
0:50:30 > 0:50:35sector where the Mercedes tended to be stronger than McLaren. He locked
0:50:35 > 0:50:40up in to turn number one. That caused him position. He goes wider,
0:50:40 > 0:50:46dirt into the tyres, the conference goes when you know you're coming
0:50:46 > 0:50:50into the double right-hander. was a pretty brave turn. He gave
0:50:50 > 0:50:55that a big turn. The group was there. You have to be full of
0:50:55 > 0:51:00belief when you go into the qualifying lap. We saw this before,
0:51:00 > 0:51:06it is a journey into the unknown. He isn't in line for the pole
0:51:06 > 0:51:11position. But commitment is there. Michael Schumacher has to set the
0:51:11 > 0:51:16fastest first sector time. He is on the early part and Nico Rosberg is
0:51:16 > 0:51:22in the latter part. Mercedes have not had a poor position in recent
0:51:22 > 0:51:29history, although this team was born as brawn and they had a pole
0:51:29 > 0:51:38position with Jensen Button. Trying to beat the time set by Lewis
0:51:38 > 0:51:44Hamilton. Behind both McLaren cars at the moment Michael Schumacher is
0:51:45 > 0:51:49to tenths down. Now, when that clever system they have on this car
0:51:49 > 0:51:55enable him to gain those two-tenths of a second down this next a long
0:51:55 > 0:51:59straight? Well, he might not be in line for pole position but he is in
0:51:59 > 0:52:04line for second place. With this time, he could get in in front of
0:52:04 > 0:52:12Jensen Button. If he keeps a tiny through 15, which he does. Early on
0:52:12 > 0:52:16the power. Employs the DRS. Using up any leftover KERS. Second place,
0:52:16 > 0:52:26you were spot on. Hamilton on top at the moment, Michael Schumacher
0:52:26 > 0:52:26
0:52:26 > 0:52:31is looking at the front rows start. Sebastian Vettel only eight days.
0:52:31 > 0:52:38We are waiting for Fernando Alonso to set his lap time. On board with
0:52:38 > 0:52:46Sergio Perez. He saw his team-mate going out of qualifying, the only
0:52:46 > 0:52:50Sauber in the top 10. So far, it is looking good. I do not expect that
0:52:50 > 0:52:56Mark will get in the way. He will concentrate in building his own lap.
0:52:56 > 0:52:59He gets well out of the way. nine-tenths down at this point and
0:52:59 > 0:53:06that would still be enough to challenge perhaps Mark Webber,
0:53:06 > 0:53:12maybe. It is very close in that section. Looking good. He now has
0:53:12 > 0:53:17to get the braking sorted. Not the oversteer that he had earlier on.
0:53:17 > 0:53:23Beautiful through that section, nice, early throttle. It is so
0:53:23 > 0:53:28important as you drive down onto this last straight, 25% of the
0:53:28 > 0:53:38track runs wide in the last corner. That will cost them a little time.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42We saw Hamilton do this and still set the fastest time. 1:37.6.
0:53:42 > 0:53:50Sebastian Vettel is now building up again. And he is on the harder
0:53:50 > 0:53:55tyres. Great spot. He is on the harder tyres. This is as strategic
0:53:55 > 0:53:59decision. We have Mark Webber, his team-mate out on the option tyres
0:53:59 > 0:54:07and we expect there is more than half a second between those so
0:54:07 > 0:54:15Sebastian Vettel playing the long game. Will this cost him dearly?
0:54:15 > 0:54:19Meanwhile, Mark Webber has not done a particularly good first sector.
0:54:19 > 0:54:27So, this does not look like it will be a great start to this flat for
0:54:27 > 0:54:33Mark Webber. For Paul Weller, back in 2010. Be well, Kimi Raikkonen is
0:54:33 > 0:54:40on another good lap time. -- meanwhile. We will see this next
0:54:40 > 0:54:44sector time. It is a personal best but he is have a second down on
0:54:44 > 0:54:48what Lewis Hamilton has done so far and you believe it pretty much
0:54:48 > 0:54:53where he is. They interesting that Kimi Raikkonen was so close to
0:54:53 > 0:54:57Mercedes in the first sector. This notice has some great speed. He is
0:54:57 > 0:55:02about three-tenths down in the middle sector to the absolute best
0:55:03 > 0:55:12time, set by Lewis Hamilton. Reich and an online to move up, he could
0:55:12 > 0:55:20challenge Jensen Button. -- Kimi Raikkonen. Let us wait and see. The
0:55:20 > 0:55:28chequered flag is out. He goes third. He has gone in ahead of
0:55:28 > 0:55:31Jensen Button. He goes for a place. Rosberg in six days, Sebastian
0:55:31 > 0:55:36Vettel in eight days but he is on a lap that will improve that's like
0:55:36 > 0:55:42that. Sebastian Vettel, where will he be on the grid? 6th place. For
0:55:42 > 0:55:49the moment. Jensen Button, also trying to improve, and he goes
0:55:49 > 0:55:57across the line in second. Will we see any further improvement? Romain
0:55:57 > 0:56:02Grosjean, pushes Rosberg down. He has rarely missed out. He has gone
0:56:02 > 0:56:07faster than Sergio Perez in the Sauber but only by a fraction and
0:56:07 > 0:56:12it is Lewis Hamilton who has taken his second pole position of 2012,
0:56:12 > 0:56:19his first-ever in Malaysia. The first-ever McLaren pole position in
0:56:19 > 0:56:22Malaysia. And it is also his 21st career pole position, putting him
0:56:22 > 0:56:30ahead of Damon Hill, third on the all-time best of British pole
0:56:30 > 0:56:35position winners after Clark and Nigel Mansell. He did exactly what
0:56:35 > 0:56:38he did in Melbourne and he did it early on in the session. We saw
0:56:38 > 0:56:43Jensen Button pulling the lap time out at the end of the session at so
0:56:43 > 0:56:47McLaren will be extremely satisfied with qualifying and the challenge
0:56:47 > 0:56:51of this circuit and they did it in Melbourne around the temporary
0:56:51 > 0:56:56track and delivered here in the heat of Malaysia. Sebastian Vettel
0:56:56 > 0:57:01will start in 6th place but he will start the race on a harder compound.
0:57:01 > 0:57:05He is the only one of the top 10 he will be in a position. You have to
0:57:05 > 0:57:09start the race on the tyre you qualified on and he is only two
0:57:09 > 0:57:12places behind Mark Webber and has harder tyres for the beginning of
0:57:12 > 0:57:19the race when the cars have a full load of fuel. Interesting tactics
0:57:19 > 0:57:24from Red Bull. A very satisfied Michael Schumacher. He has come
0:57:25 > 0:57:29back so far, has been qualifying but in 2012 he has been delivering.
0:57:29 > 0:57:33Hamilton heads up McLaren, as in Melbourne. Schumacher is in third
0:57:33 > 0:57:39place, ahead of Mark Webber, Kimi Raikkonen has the penalty. Then
0:57:39 > 0:57:47Sebastian Vettel, Grosjean, Rosberg, Fernando Alonso, Perez, Maldonado
0:57:47 > 0:57:49and Felipe Massa failing to get into the top 10. Ferrari have got
0:57:49 > 0:57:58Alonso in the 9th place but it isn't the performance they are
0:57:58 > 0:58:04looking for. Further down... Hulkenberg, Kobayashi, Heikki
0:58:04 > 0:58:08Kovalainen, and both HRT cars, they will get to race on Sunday. What a
0:58:08 > 0:58:13session that was. McLaren have locked out the front row and we are
0:58:13 > 0:58:23with Lewis Hamilton. Two qualifying sessions in 2012 and both have pole
0:58:23 > 0:58:24
0:58:24 > 0:58:27And the struggling in the quarter three to get some serious press.
0:58:27 > 0:58:32The car was dad then but getting the right wing level set and trying
0:58:32 > 0:58:38to put out that was tough but I manage to do it on that lap.
0:58:38 > 0:58:43did indeed. On-board with you, can you talk us through? Going across
0:58:43 > 0:58:48the line into to number one, braking about 80 metres. I had a
0:58:48 > 0:58:53moment of oversteer that I had to correct. Some understeer, here,
0:58:53 > 0:59:01making sure you get the good exit. This is the first exit so it is
0:59:01 > 0:59:07massively important, get on two DRS and the KERS. Turn No. 4, making
0:59:07 > 0:59:11sure you come off the brakes. And then here, on the DRS and you have
0:59:11 > 0:59:17to release it as late as possible and try to take it flat. But you
0:59:17 > 0:59:22have to get back after Kerr No. 5 and 6 for the exit and six and
0:59:22 > 0:59:28seven is tricky, it looks easy but it generally pursue out wide. I had
0:59:28 > 0:59:31quite a good exit, there. Turnover down, braking as late as you can do
0:59:31 > 0:59:37some on the rotation. Some oversteer but I still managed to
0:59:37 > 0:59:42get the exit. This is a great corner, 11, you need a lot of front
0:59:42 > 0:59:47wing for that and I had a really good balance. This is what happens
0:59:47 > 0:59:55to return No. 12, braking as late as you can and as straight as you
0:59:55 > 1:00:05can. I had a really good exit. Again, I could see it going up here.
1:00:05 > 1:00:09
1:00:09 > 1:00:12I lost time in the last one. Alost a bit of time there. You have
1:00:12 > 1:00:18gone early for both of your qualifying laps, you set down the
1:00:18 > 1:00:23marker for everyone. Is that a conscious strategy. It is a
1:00:23 > 1:00:27different strategy to last year. You want to do your lap time when
1:00:28 > 1:00:33you can, I did a great outlap and I do want to make sure I get that
1:00:33 > 1:00:39first lap, nail that one and have a chance to do something crazy on the
1:00:39 > 1:00:44next lap and brake five metre later. That is why I bail out my second
1:00:44 > 1:00:51lap, the first felt great and the second you go over the limit.
1:00:51 > 1:00:55your words, you nailed quali, what are your thought for tomorrow.
1:00:55 > 1:00:59Qualify is the easy part. It is trying to convert that into a win.
1:00:59 > 1:01:05Give tot make sure I get a good start. You know what it is like
1:01:05 > 1:01:10with all the controls, they help you make a change, to get a good
1:01:10 > 1:01:18launch and make my car as wide as possible and then look after my
1:01:18 > 1:01:22tyres. Stkpwhrifrs sitting by your mum // -- I was sitting which by
1:01:22 > 1:01:28your mum when you qualified. What about Jenson Button just behind
1:01:28 > 1:01:35Lewis Hamilton. Here is he is. left that bit late. How was it for
1:01:35 > 1:01:40you? Yeah good. I mean I think Lewis has been putting in a good
1:01:40 > 1:01:46lap at the start of Q3, but most of us do at the end. It is not unusual
1:01:46 > 1:01:51to do that. But yeah, the car's been working well for most of
1:01:51 > 1:01:57qualifying, on both tyres it worked. It is a shame when you're so close
1:01:57 > 1:02:02and yet so far from the the guy on pole and you know Lewis did a good
1:02:02 > 1:02:08job. For me at the end I did a good lap. But the important thing is we
1:02:09 > 1:02:13got the front row. When you hear your engineer saying well done,
1:02:13 > 1:02:19good lap. You can hear the cheers of them in the back grourpbgsd it
1:02:19 > 1:02:24gives you a smile -- background, it gives you smile. Anyone in the top
1:02:24 > 1:02:31four places can have a great race tomorrow and have a chance of
1:02:31 > 1:02:35winning. Yeah it is exciting. is a strange race, there sois many
1:02:35 > 1:02:41variables, the weather, it is a long one as well. It is a tough one
1:02:41 > 1:02:46for us in terms of physically is it tough. Also it is tough, because
1:02:46 > 1:02:54its tough on the tyres and the cars and for strategy. There is humidity
1:02:54 > 1:02:59and the heat. You don't know how long the tairs will work. -- tyre
1:02:59 > 1:03:05will work. You have to be thinking on your toes. I think we're got a
1:03:05 > 1:03:10that. It is tough for the team, they are working in the heat. And
1:03:10 > 1:03:15hopefully we will have good pit stops like at the last race. We're
1:03:15 > 1:03:19all excited about tomorrow and it will be an exciting kpwree. Well
1:03:19 > 1:03:23done Jensen. -- Grand Prix. He will be excited about the start of race,
1:03:24 > 1:03:27because if he leapfrogged Lewis in Australia, he should be able to do
1:03:27 > 1:03:32it here. This is the second longest run to the first corner. The
1:03:32 > 1:03:36longest is in Barcelona. The big advantage for Lewis this time,
1:03:36 > 1:03:41proindividualing he gets all the systems tuned n is he is on the
1:03:41 > 1:03:48clean side of the grid and that left side where Jensen is, can cost
1:03:48 > 1:03:53you a lot. Let's hear from the team principal. I'm sure he has a smile
1:03:54 > 1:03:58on his face. The second all McLaren front row, you must be proud?
1:03:58 > 1:04:04I'm proud of the team, everyone's worked hard the get it. It is still
1:04:04 > 1:04:08nice to deliver it. It is a long, hard race ahead of us. So a lot of
1:04:08 > 1:04:13things can happen - weather and reliability. But this is a good
1:04:13 > 1:04:18place to be. Tomorrow will be interesting, Sebastian on the prime
1:04:18 > 1:04:22tyre, I'm surprised, and pleased a few more aren't on the prime. If
1:04:22 > 1:04:28you weren't competing for the first couple of rows a prime tyre was a
1:04:28 > 1:04:33smart thing to do. The delta in qualifying mode is small and in the
1:04:33 > 1:04:37race the prime tyre will become a good tyre to be on. So you know
1:04:37 > 1:04:43Kimy in particular, who knew he was going back, I'm surprised he wasn't
1:04:43 > 1:04:49on the prime tyre. The race to the first corn, are they free to do
1:04:49 > 1:04:53what they want to do? Yes, they will be racing each other tough.
1:04:53 > 1:04:58After last weekend, Lewis will feel having got second pole he wants to
1:04:58 > 1:05:03come out of the first corner in the lead. Bens e Jensen will do his
1:05:04 > 1:05:09best to thwart that. For us it I will be a tense ten seconds, but we
1:05:09 > 1:05:15have got to trust them to go out and race. Thank you, good luck
1:05:15 > 1:05:19tomorrow. Cheers. JAKE HUMPHREY: Free to do what they want to do!
1:05:19 > 1:05:25Now here here is Christian Horner. He expected more cars on the harder
1:05:26 > 1:05:31tyre. The only man on that harder tyre is Sebastian Vettel. A split
1:05:31 > 1:05:37strategy between Mark and Sebastian. Webber still on the soft irtyre and
1:05:37 > 1:05:45still fourth. It was a good lap by Mark, from second, third and fourth.
1:05:45 > 1:05:55So Lewis did a strong lap. So we have seen they're quick over a
1:05:55 > 1:05:55
1:05:55 > 1:06:02siblg -- single lap. We decided to go different can Seb. Lou the tyres
1:06:02 > 1:06:06is is that a big decision to make? I think the harder tyre is more
1:06:06 > 1:06:10durable and it is a different strategy. You know we didn't feel
1:06:10 > 1:06:14we had the single lap pace to take on the McLarens here. We have still
1:06:14 > 1:06:18got work to do in that area. In the race we have elected to do
1:06:18 > 1:06:26something between the two cars. We will only see if that works
1:06:26 > 1:06:29tomorrow. Thank you and good luck. We are here with Mark Webber. We
1:06:29 > 1:06:33heard from Christian Horner who was explain about the two strategies,
1:06:33 > 1:06:39are you happy the tyre you're on? Yes I think going into qualifying,
1:06:39 > 1:06:47it was the plan to, well in our team, to have that tyre. We spoke
1:06:47 > 1:06:56about it heavily before Q3. It came up after my Q1 lap, where I did did
1:06:56 > 1:07:0037.1. The hard tyre was coming into play. I think Seb malt --
1:07:00 > 1:07:04ultimately wasn't too happy with his pace or wanted to try something
1:07:04 > 1:07:08different. He is in a good position for race tomorrow. But you know, so
1:07:09 > 1:07:13am I. It is a 56 lap race and it is a challenging vent and looking
1:07:13 > 1:07:19forward to how the people will skin their cat to get to the end as
1:07:19 > 1:07:23quick as possibly. This will be one of biggest challenges of season.
1:07:23 > 1:07:27You won't be too koonserned about that, but in terms of pace of cars,
1:07:27 > 1:07:33can you shed light on where the difference is between McLaren and
1:07:33 > 1:07:37Red Bull. Where do you need the find the lap time? We need to lack
1:07:37 > 1:07:41at... In your performance in a straight line. That is an area
1:07:41 > 1:07:45which I need to look at where we lost in particular in today's
1:07:45 > 1:07:49battle, but you know we know that the Mercedes in particular is
1:07:49 > 1:07:54strong in a straight line. I think the car balance and performance was
1:07:54 > 1:07:59better today. Than we had in Melbourne. And I think we have got
1:07:59 > 1:08:04a good race car here. Everyone's going to be having trouble with
1:08:04 > 1:08:13tyre. We have to be a bit better and then it opens up a new ball
1:08:13 > 1:08:18Gyme game for us. Well done, two race. You go and eat it. Now here
1:08:18 > 1:08:24is what Sebastian Vettel had to say. A different strategy to most of the
1:08:24 > 1:08:28cars, you start your are on the hard tairs. Are you happy with your
1:08:28 > 1:08:33position tomorrow? I will answer after the race hopefully. I don't
1:08:33 > 1:08:37know. We didn't feel very good on the soft tyre and we decided to go,
1:08:38 > 1:08:43yeah to go different. And went on the hards and I think it was a step
1:08:43 > 1:08:50forward. But yeah, I didn't feel that happy in qualifying, I
1:08:50 > 1:08:56struggled to find the balance. Yeah, I didn't get everything out of the
1:08:56 > 1:09:00car for one lap. Last week may have been a one off spraiz, but now it
1:09:00 > 1:09:06looks more lake a puzzle, do you feel you're in a different car to
1:09:06 > 1:09:09last year? Well I wouldn't say we're confused. There is a lot of
1:09:09 > 1:09:14miracles happening within one weak. We didn't change the car much.
1:09:14 > 1:09:19There is no time to react. McLaren was strong in Australia and they
1:09:19 > 1:09:24are strong here. They the ones to beat. In race trim we may look bete,
1:09:24 > 1:09:30but I think you can see from the outside that yeah, it is not the
1:09:30 > 1:09:37easiest car to drive. Yeah, I think we're all aware of that and pushing
1:09:37 > 1:09:43very hard to get back up. dejected Sebastian Vettel there,
1:09:43 > 1:09:48but he made the point it is a good race car. The feeling here seems to
1:09:48 > 1:09:52be it is the opposite with Mercedes. Well everyone expected Mercedes to
1:09:52 > 1:09:56be strong around this Kualar Lumpur circuit, because of the nature of
1:09:56 > 1:10:01the length of the straits and they have the effective DRS and the
1:10:01 > 1:10:06Mercedes power. This was what Red Bull feared, they would ends up
1:10:06 > 1:10:11behind Mercedes, they know their race pace has not been good. Nico
1:10:11 > 1:10:15Rosberg pitted on lap 13 in Mel burn. So they have some issues and
1:10:15 > 1:10:20-- Melbourne so they have some issues. There is Michael Schumacher,
1:10:20 > 1:10:24fast in qualifying. He will hope to take that pace into the race. Here
1:10:24 > 1:10:29are his thoughts. It is nice to be speaking to you so late on a
1:10:29 > 1:10:34Saturday, that can mean only one thing. You must be pleased.
1:10:34 > 1:10:40pleased, it is a good achievement for us. But much more important is
1:10:40 > 1:10:44what does it mean for tomorrow. The I'm pleased, because we have paid a
1:10:44 > 1:10:48lot of attention for tomorrow. We have worked thoroughly to have a
1:10:48 > 1:10:53good race car and to compromise for qualifying, still we with able to
1:10:53 > 1:10:58do a decent job. You're looking a tt long time game. What do you
1:10:58 > 1:11:02think will be the toughist thing. A lot of people are talk about tyres.
1:11:02 > 1:11:06Yes people will fight to keep the tyres together. That will be the
1:11:06 > 1:11:12biggest challenge. Maybe for for us than others. But we're ready to
1:11:12 > 1:11:17fight it. He talks about look tafr tyres will he need the - looking
1:11:17 > 1:11:26after the tyres. Will we need the inte immediate mates. So what will
1:11:26 > 1:11:34lap in the race. My analysis takes into account tyre degradation and
1:11:34 > 1:11:41fuel changes and thousand car treats the tairs. A three-stop race
1:11:41 > 1:11:46is the best option. A drive Kerr afford to -- can afford to use the
1:11:46 > 1:11:51tyre hard. I think you will led for a three stop race and maybe go for
1:11:51 > 1:11:56four. But the tyres are better this year, so the race time will be
1:11:56 > 1:11:59faster. It will be down to who looks after those black, round
1:11:59 > 1:12:06rubber things. The message - look after the tyres and you could have
1:12:06 > 1:12:09a sec Cescful race. Ferrari will hope they can. We heard from
1:12:09 > 1:12:12drivers saying they had been concentrating on that, if they can
1:12:12 > 1:12:18get away with three stops that could be the key. Four and you will
1:12:18 > 1:12:21lose a lot of time. Big pressure and a lot of work going on. Ferrari
1:12:21 > 1:12:25again not qualifying in the position they would have want, but
1:12:25 > 1:12:33McLaren where they wanted to be a front rowlock out for the second
1:12:33 > 1:12:43race in succession. Just in front of Michael Schumacher. And another
1:12:43 > 1:12:45
1:12:45 > 1:12:52impressive display from Romain Grosjean. Felipe Massa is 12th on
1:12:52 > 1:13:02the grid. Just in front of Bruno Senna, alongside Paul di Resta, who
1:13:02 > 1:13:02
1:13:02 > 1:13:06outqualified his team mate, Nico Hulkenberg. And we have Timo Glock
1:13:06 > 1:13:11starting 20th. He has moved up the grid, because there has been a
1:13:11 > 1:13:17penalty for Heikki Kovalinan, because of a change on the gear box.
1:13:17 > 1:13:24We return tonight at 6.45 for inside Formula One. And then all
1:13:24 > 1:13:28the action from 2.4 45trm. What a performance from McLaren, what