Fernando Alonso is F1's shock world championship leader, after Malaysian rain shook up the order at Sepang.
Hot on his tale was the other surprise of the day, Sergio Perez (Sauber) who, like Alonso, utilized a good pit-stop strategy to make the best out of tricky conditions. He was the bold first driver to dive into the pits for extreme wet-weather tires before the the rain started intensifying.
His prediction was so right that, moments later, the organizers were forced to red flag the race.
The Mexican – now linked more than ever to Felipe Massa’s Ferrari drive – could have taken his first career victory, if only he had not made a slight error trying to pass Alonso in the dying laps of the race.
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) had to settle for another third place, following his Australian podium.
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) looked bleak as he was overtaking the lapped car of Narain Karthikeyan. The ensuing flat he got from a tangle with the India driver forced him to surrender fourth place points. He ended up 11th.
Once more, it was a tougher race day than expected for the silver arrows. After having started third, Michael Schumacher had an early clash with Lotus-Renault’s Romain Grosjean but fought back to 10th and earned Mercedes’ first point of the season. Nico Rosberg will want to put his 13th place result behind him.
Australian Grand Prix winner Jenson Button (McLaren) didn’t shine this time. The tough conditions and an run-in with Karthikeyan (him again) have him only 14th.
Other notable points scorers are the resurgent Mark Webber (Red Bull), the fast-lapping Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus-Renault), Williams’ Bruno Senna, Force India’s Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg and Toro-Rosso’s French rookie Jean-Éric Vergne.
Even though he now tops the leader board in the championship standings for now, Fernando Alonso his well aware his team his still struggling, and that the Malaysian results may well be a one-off until they find problem to their inherent pace problems.
Race results – 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang International Circuit)
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 56 laps in 2h44min51.812s
2 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 2.263s
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 14.591s
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 17.688s
5 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 29.456s
6 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 37.667s
7 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 44.412s
8 - Jean Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 46.985s
9 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 47.892s
10 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 49.996s
11 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1min15.527s
12 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min16.800s
13 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1min18.500s
14 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1min19.700s
15 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1min39.300s
16 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 lap
17 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1 lap
18 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 lap
19 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 2 laps
20 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 2 laps
21 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 2 laps
22 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 2 laps
Fastest lap by Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) in 1min40.722s
Retirements
46° tour - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari)
3° tour - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault)
Drivers' championship
1. Alonso 35; 2. Hamilton 30; 3. Button 25; 4. Webber 24; 5. Perez 22; 6. Vettel 18; 7. Raikkonen 16; 8. Senna 8; 9. Kobayashi 8; 10. Di Resta 7; 11. Vergne 4; 12. Hulkenberg 2; 13. Ricciardo 2; 14. Schumacher 1.
Constructors' championship
1. McLaren-Mercedes 55; 2. Red Bull-Renault 42; 3. Ferrari 35; 4. Sauber-Ferrari 30; 5. Lotus-Renault 16; 6. Force India-Mercedes 9; 7. Williams-Renault 8; 8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 6; 9. Mercedes 1.
Sources: Autosport.com, ItaliaRacing.net
Hot on his tale was the other surprise of the day, Sergio Perez (Sauber) who, like Alonso, utilized a good pit-stop strategy to make the best out of tricky conditions. He was the bold first driver to dive into the pits for extreme wet-weather tires before the the rain started intensifying.
His prediction was so right that, moments later, the organizers were forced to red flag the race.
The Mexican – now linked more than ever to Felipe Massa’s Ferrari drive – could have taken his first career victory, if only he had not made a slight error trying to pass Alonso in the dying laps of the race.
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) had to settle for another third place, following his Australian podium.
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) looked bleak as he was overtaking the lapped car of Narain Karthikeyan. The ensuing flat he got from a tangle with the India driver forced him to surrender fourth place points. He ended up 11th.
Once more, it was a tougher race day than expected for the silver arrows. After having started third, Michael Schumacher had an early clash with Lotus-Renault’s Romain Grosjean but fought back to 10th and earned Mercedes’ first point of the season. Nico Rosberg will want to put his 13th place result behind him.
Australian Grand Prix winner Jenson Button (McLaren) didn’t shine this time. The tough conditions and an run-in with Karthikeyan (him again) have him only 14th.
Other notable points scorers are the resurgent Mark Webber (Red Bull), the fast-lapping Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus-Renault), Williams’ Bruno Senna, Force India’s Paul di Resta and Nico Hulkenberg and Toro-Rosso’s French rookie Jean-Éric Vergne.
Even though he now tops the leader board in the championship standings for now, Fernando Alonso his well aware his team his still struggling, and that the Malaysian results may well be a one-off until they find problem to their inherent pace problems.
Race results – 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix (Sepang International Circuit)
1 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari F2012) - 56 laps in 2h44min51.812s
2 - Sergio Perez (Sauber C31-Ferrari) - 2.263s
3 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 14.591s
4 - Mark Webber (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 17.688s
5 - Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) - 29.456s
6 - Bruno Senna (Williams FW34-Renault) - 37.667s
7 - Paul Di Resta (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 44.412s
8 - Jean Eric Vergne (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 46.985s
9 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 47.892s
10 - Michael Schumacher (Mercedes MGP W03) - 49.996s
11 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull RB8-Renault) - 1min15.527s
12 - Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso STR7-Ferrari) - 1min16.800s
13 - Nico Hulkenberg (Force India VJM05-Mercedes) - 1min18.500s
14 - Jenson Button (McLaren MP4/27-Mercedes) - 1min19.700s
15 - Felipe Massa (Ferrari F2012) - 1min39.300s
16 - Vitaly Petrov (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 lap
17 - Timo Glock (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 1 lap
18 - Heikki Kovalainen (Caterham CT01-Renault) - 1 lap
19 - Pastor Maldonado (Williams FW34-Renault) - 2 laps
20 - Charles Pic (Marussia MR01-Cosworth) - 2 laps
21 - Narain Karthikeyan (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 2 laps
22 - Pedro De La Rosa (HRT F112-Cosworth) - 2 laps
Fastest lap by Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus E20-Renault) in 1min40.722s
Retirements
46° tour - Kamui Kobayashi (Sauber C31-Ferrari)
3° tour - Romain Grosjean (Lotus E20-Renault)
Drivers' championship
1. Alonso 35; 2. Hamilton 30; 3. Button 25; 4. Webber 24; 5. Perez 22; 6. Vettel 18; 7. Raikkonen 16; 8. Senna 8; 9. Kobayashi 8; 10. Di Resta 7; 11. Vergne 4; 12. Hulkenberg 2; 13. Ricciardo 2; 14. Schumacher 1.
Constructors' championship
1. McLaren-Mercedes 55; 2. Red Bull-Renault 42; 3. Ferrari 35; 4. Sauber-Ferrari 30; 5. Lotus-Renault 16; 6. Force India-Mercedes 9; 7. Williams-Renault 8; 8. Toro Rosso-Ferrari 6; 9. Mercedes 1.
Sources: Autosport.com, ItaliaRacing.net