The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix Thread

[Ed]

Barrichello, Glock, Rosberg, Webber, Kubica, Raikkonen and Alonso make the top 10

[Julian Mayo]

I am just scratching my head, .....................
It sounded like Webber had more, Massa ?????....................etc.............
Thanks Ed.

[Ed]

So the starting grid (assuming no further penalties):

Button on Pole ahead of Trulli.
Glock will start from 3rd ahead of Rosberg, Webber and Kubica, Raikkonen, Barrichello, Alonso Heidfeld, Nakajima, Hamilton, Vettel, Kovalainen, Bourdais, Massa, Piquet, Fisichella, Sutil and Buemi.

Related: Full Qualifying Results
Ferrari clanger leaves Button surprised with pole

For all the team reports, checkout the 2009 F1 Team Reports section here

[Ed]

I am just scratching my head, .....................
It sounded like Webber had more, Massa ?????....................etc.............
Thanks Ed.

No worries Julian

We'll know the fuel loads shortly, I suspect that Vettel is light on fuel as he is dropping 10 places.

Massa has admitted that they thought their time would be enough and they would save a set of tyres. Turns out a big mistake.

[Julian Mayo]

I am just scratching my head, .....................
It sounded like Webber had more, Massa ?????....................etc.............
Thanks Ed.

No worries Julian

We'll know the fuel loads shortly, I suspect that Vettel is light on fuel as he is dropping 10 places.

Massa has admitted that they thought their time would be enough and they would save a set of tyres. Turns out a big mistake.

Team Ferrari, perhaps they should buy out Brawn, and get Ross back.........

[Jim Watt]

Hullo Julian:

you wrote: "Team Ferrari, perhaps they should buy out Brawn, and get Ross back." Team Ferrari needs a competent TACTICIAN. DOMENICALLI is, emphatically, not up to the job. He's a nice enough chap for Public Relations duties, maybe even a competent head of FOTA (he is said to be a shrewd businessman, so he's perhaps a match for Bernie in the STRATEGY department. But as you well know, a TEAM BOSS needs to make decisions BEFORE others even see the need coming to make them! He has to operate in terms of minutes and seconds and his team needs to be ready to implement his call IMMEDIATELY. That's how Ross and Michael used to work. We've seen how badly Mr. D. managed last season: handing the WDC to Lewis on a plate --and managing to get the Manufacturers' Trophy only because McLaren were stuck with Heikki in the second seat. If Ross had been working for EITHER team last year he'd have won the Manufacturer's and WDC trophies: for starters, we'd NEVER have seen Felipe's monumental refueling hose screw up because Ross would never have O.K.'d an unproven technique in the pits during a season that was clearly going to go to the wire with another team whose cars were as good as his own. And had he been managing McLaren, he'd have canned Heikki before the season started and hired Seb V. Or he'd have stolen Kimi from Ferrari by promising him a chance at back to back WDC's with different teams --and a chance to go mano a mano with Lewis and beat him. Ron Dennis is, like Mr. D. a brilliant strategist and businessman. It's too early to judge Martin Whitmarsh, but ask yourself how a competent team manager would be doing if he had McLaren machines and Lewis to work with. Indeed, if there EVER was a time for a dramatic change at McLaren AND Ferrari, it's today. What does either one have to LOSE? Third Place in the Manufacturer's race?! Let me say that again THIRD place. THIRD PLACE!!! Does anyone ever care who was THIRD? And if you're used to contending for Number One, third is as bad as last. So I hope Ferrari can's Mr. D. Even David Richards could do a better job. Even Eddie Jordan!! Same goes for Whitmarsh as far as I can see. And if you do get a decent tactician at Ferrari or McLaren, you dramatically increase your chance to STEAL the WDC or the Manufacturer's trophy because there is so much parity now with Red Bull Racing, Ross Braun GP, Toyota and BMW/Sauber (not to mention Williams!) that a brilliant tactician whipping a team into shape could make his mark this year. Ooops. That sounds like Mr. Braun, doesn't it?

Can't wait to see how Ross calls the race tomorrow!

Jim Watt

[Julian Mayo]

David Richards couldn't, based on his V8Supercar feats

[Julian Mayo]

The fuel loads are interesting.

[Ed]

Fuel loads sorted by starting order:

1. Jenson Button, Brawn GP, 660kg
2. Jarno Trulli, Toyota, 656.5
3. Timo Glock, Toyota, 656.5
4. Nico Rosberg, Williams, 656
5. Mark Webber, Red Bull, 656
6. Robert Kubica, BMW-Sauber, 663
7. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, 662.5
8. Rubens Barrichello, Brawn, 664.5
9. Fernando Alonso, Renault, 680.5
10. Nick Heidfeld, BMW-Sauber, 692
11. Kazuki Nakajima,Williams, 683.4
12. Lewis Hamilton, McLaren, 688
13. Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull, 647
14. Heikki Kovalainen, McLaren, 688.9
15. Sebastien Bourdais, Toro Rosso, 670.5
16. Felipe Massa, Ferrari, 689.5
17. Nelson Piquet, Renault, 681.9
18. Giancarlo Fisichella, Force India, 680.5
19. Adrian Sutil, Force India, 655.5
20. Sebastien Buemi, Toro Rosso, 686.5

* Minimum car weight is 600 kg with driver

[jido]

That's the car weights, right?
What is the regulatory minimum weight without fuel?

Looks like Vettel is starting light. And Kubica will be able to do a few more laps than the cars in front of him without refuelling.

[Ed]

That's the car weights, right?
What is the regulatory minimum weight without fuel?

Looks like Vettel is starting light. And Kubica will be able to do a few more laps than the cars in front of him without refuelling.

Good question Jido and have added a note above.

The minimum weight is 600 kg. So one can assume that most of the weight above 600 kg is fuel.

Certainly Vettel is on a lighter load as he knew he was dropping 10 places.

Alonso was clearly running a heavy load as he opted for just 1 run in Q3.

Interesting that Trulli and Button are only a lap or so of fuel apart

Who would have thought a Brawn and a Toyota would be fighting for the win in Malaysia ?

[Julian Mayo]

Now, if we just had the weight of the drivers, and the tyre pressures (rolling resistance ) for each car, and some one to do the equations.

[jido]

How's the weather outlook like for the race?

[Ed]

The Malaysian Formula 1 race starting in just over 10 minutes. It isn't raining at the moment but it was raining earlier today and more rain is expected.

[Ed]

The sun is appearing through the clouds at the moment!