Formula 1 News

2008 Malaysian GP, Qualifying: Felipe Massa leads Ferrari front row 

On the Qualifying Session for the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang’s International Circuit, Felipe Massa with a lap time of 1’35”748, brings Scuderia Ferrari back on the right path by getting the Pole Position. Kimi Raikkonen gets the 2nd place while McLaren duo get the 3rd with Kovalainen and the 4th with Hamilton. An excellent Jarno Trulli on Toyota will start Sunday’s race from the 5th place, followed by Robert Kubica on 6th, Nick Heidfeld on 7th, Mark Webber on 8th, Fernando Alonso on 9th and Timo Glock on 10th.

Q1: Sebastien Bourdais and Adrian Sutil are the first drivers that get on the track. But as soon race control predicts rain in the next 20 minutes, all other drivers follow. Bourdais, sets the first timed lap with 1’38”410 but immediately Felipe Massa responds with 1’36”058 and takes the temporary lead. Massa’s teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, replies to the Brazilian with 1’35”645. A couple of laps later, Massa gains once again the temporary Pole with a lap time of 1’35”347 followed by McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton. In the meantime, Toyota’s Jarno Trulli, after an excellent and error free lap, clocks the fastest lap time (1’35”205) and takes the lead. Just 3 minutes before the end of Q1, double World Champion Fernando Alonso, clocks a 1’35”983 which places him in 9th place and out of the Knock-out zone. Drivers out in Q1: Fisichella, Nakajima, Bourdais, Sato, Sutil, Davidson.

Q2: Race control predicts no rain for Q2. The two McLaren-Mercedes and the two Ferrari are among the first cars to take the track. Kimi Raikkonen sets the fastest lap time of this group with 1’34”188, followed by Heikki Kovalainen and Jarno Trulli. The BMW-Sauber drivers show once again their good pace and get the 2nd best time with Heidfled and the 4th with Kubica. Williams’ Nico Rosberg clocks a 1’35”670 but such lap time gives him only the 13th place and puts him in the knock-out zone. Race control, in the meantime, gives another prediction for Q3: no rain. Drivers out in Q1: Button, Kovalainen, Piquet, Barrichello, Vettel, Rosberg.

Q3: Kovalainen and Hamilton, both with hard tyres, are joined in the pitlane just before the green light by the two Ferraris (medium tyres) and BMW’s Robert Kubica. Massa shows immediately his determination to take the Pole Position and sets the fastest time: 1’36”434. His teammate Raikkonen gets the 2nd place, Kovalainen the 3rd, Kubica the 4th and Hamilton the 5th. The two McLaren’s head back to the pits for a tyre change: they will use the medium compound for their second attempt. After the second attempts, Massa keeps the lead and snatches the Pole Position ahead of Raikkonen (2nd), Kovalainen (3rd), Hamilton (4th), Trulli (5th) and Kubica (6th).

2008 Malaysian GP Qualifying Session Results: