Ferrari and Mc Laren cleared all doubts on which teams are on the top of the pecking order by the ominous presence at Sepang. Massa stole pole from Alonso’s crutches seconds before Qualification could end. Kimi Raikonnen settled for a second row starting position with Lewis Hamlinton showing a well controlled performance to qualify 4th.
Earlier in the day everybody expected Ferrari to be unbeatable just weeks after their domination of the Australian Grand Prix, interestingly it was the Mc Laren of the two time world champ that set the pace. Alonso clocked the top of the times in Q1 and Q2, staying over four tenths of a second clear of anyone on track in Q2. Ferrari were right behind the Spaniard splitting the Mc Larens.
Come Q3 and the rules looked to have changed. A few drops of rain and a looming dark cloud pushed most of the top ten to make their banker laps at the very start. Towards the end of the session top runners punched in a fast lap each… First Kimi took provisional pole, only for Alonso to go faster and then Massa to beat that.
The qualification was a tragedy for Barrichello and Honda… He will start from the back after qualifying 19th and making an engine change. Williams and Spyker finished at the bottom 3 not a very positive sign for tomorrow’s race. Super Aguri shined taking 14th with Sato again proving that Australia was no fluke.
Renault continued its disappointing start to the season qualifying just out of the top 10. Heikki out qualifying Fisichella in a much better show from the Finn. Toyotas made it to Q3 and slotted in at 8th and 9th behind the BMW of Kubica. Williams had finally something to smile about after Rosberg put them on 7th.
Predictions:
It looks had to call this one, Mc Laren’s pace in qualification has thown all the calculations out of the window. Massa looks like he was carrying a lighter fuel load on pole(surely lighter than Kimi). If rain does not interrupt the race it will possibly be
1. Kimi
2. Alonso
3. Massa
If rain does show up to watch the race watch out for the mid runners… Renault and Toyota could easily challenge the top 2 teams in that scenario.
| Malaysia qualifying | Q1 | Q2 | Q3 | ||||||||
| Pos | Driver | Team | Pos | Time | Lap | Pos | Time | Lap | Pos | Time | Lap |
| 1. | Massa | Ferrari | 5. | 1:35.340 | 3 | 2. | 1:34.454 | 3 | 1. | 1:35.043 | 10 |
| 2. | Alonso | McLaren | 1. | 1:34.942 | 3 | 1. | 1:34.057 | 3 | 2. | 1:35.310 | 10 |
| 3. | Raikkonen | Ferrari | 3. | 1:35.138 | 3 | 4. | 1:34.687 | 3 | 3. | 1:35.479 | 10 |
| 4. | Hamilton | McLaren | 2. | 1:35.028 | 3 | 3. | 1:34.650 | 3 | 4. | 1:36.045 | 10 |
| 5. | Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 6. | 1:35.617 | 3 | 6. | 1:35.203 | 6 | 5. | 1:36.543 | 10 |
| 6. | Rosberg | Williams | 11. | 1:35.755 | 6 | 8. | 1:35.380 | 6 | 6. | 1:36.829 | 10 |
| 7. | Kubica | BMW Sauber | 4. | 1:35.294 | 3 | 5. | 1:34.739 | 3 | 7. | 1:36.896 | 8 |
| 8. | Trulli | Toyota | 7. | 1:35.666 | 7 | 7. | 1:35.255 | 6 | 8. | 1:36.902 | 10 |
| 9. | R.Schumacher | Toyota | 10. | 1:35.736 | 6 | 10. | 1:35.595 | 6 | 9. | 1:37.078 | 10 |
| 10. | Webber | Red Bull | 8. | 1:35.727 | 6 | 9. | 1:35.579 | 6 | 10. | 1:37.345 | 9 |
| 11. | Kovalainen | Renault | 14. | 1:36.092 | 6 | 11. | 1:35.630 | 6 | |||
| 12. | Fisichella | Renault | 12. | 1:35.879 | 6 | 12. | 1:35.706 | 6 | |||
| 13. | Coulthard | Red Bull | 9. | 1:35.730 | 6 | 13. | 1:35.766 | 6 | |||
| 14. | Sato | Super Aguri | 16. | 1:36.430 | 7 | 14. | 1:35.945 | 5 | |||
| 15. | Button | Honda | 13. | 1:35.913 | 9 | 15. | 1:36.088 | 6 | |||
| 16. | Liuzzi | Toro Rosso | 15. | 1:36.140 | 6 | 16. | 1:36.145 | 6 | |||
| 17. | Speed | Toro Rosso | 17. | 1:36.578 | 6 | ||||||
| 18. | Davidson | Super Aguri | 18. | 1:36.816 | 6 | ||||||
| 19. | Barrichello | Honda | 19. | 1:36.827 | 7 | ||||||
| 20. | Wurz | Williams | 20. | 1:37.326 | 5 | ||||||
| 21. | Albers | Spyker | 21. | 1:38.279 | 6 | ||||||
| 22. | Sutil | Spyker | 22. | 1:38.415 | 6 | ||||||