Fernando Alonso is F1's shock world championship leader, after Malaysian rain shook up the order at Sepang. "It's a tough time for us at the moment, but we will remember this day," said the Ferrari driver, who finished ahead of another surprise podium-sitter, Sauber's Sergio Perez. The young Mexican was catching Alonso at a rate of knots when he made a mistake. "I think the win was possible," Perez, who has been linked with Felipe Massa's works Ferrari seat, said after beating the back-to-back 2012 […]

With the threat of rain looming over the Sepang International Circuit for the majority of the weekend, the rain has finally materialized and has struck the track forcing the Malaysian Grand Prix which is only 9 laps old to be delayed. The race initially started under green flag conditions, contrary to many who believed the race would be started under Safety Car conditions. However as the race progressed, the rain intensified forcing the majority of the field to pit for the Cinturato full wet tyres. […]

Lotus’ Kimi Raikkonen insisted that he could have set a pole position-winning time in qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix had small errors ruined his final lap at Sepang today. As it is, the Finn will line-up tenth on the grid after setting the fifth fastest time and then taking a five-place grid penalty due to his team needing to change the gearbox in his Lotus E20. “The car was working well today,” he said. “Unfortunately, I made a couple of mistakes on my fastest […]

Michael Schumacher finally returned to the top three's inner sanctum on Saturday. "Who would have thought it last year?" the seven time world champion smiled in Malaysia after beating the formerly dominant Red Bulls with his Mercedes. But the fact he was only beaten by the dominant McLarens in Sepang qualifying does not mean Mercedes is now ready to take on F1's very best, boss Norbert Haug insisted. Last weekend in Australia, the German team also performed well on Saturday before the tyres degraded heavily […]

The Italian press is reporting that Ferrari could abandon the innovative pull-rod suspension layout of its disappointing F2012 car. The Spanish sports daily AS concurs, adding that the revised car could be ready as soon as next month, and certainly in time for Barcelona in May. "Ferrari may even give up its revolutionary front suspension," wrote correspondent Manuel Franco. Until the F2012, the pull-rod layout has not been seen at the front of a Formula One car since designer Gabriele Tredozi's 2001 Minardi. Interestingly, Spaniard […]

Michael Schumacher has played down expectations he or Nico Rosberg could put their 2012 Mercedes on pole in Malaysia. "I think we will be somewhere near the top," Rosberg is quoted by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport. "The race is more of a worry for us." Last weekend in Australia, the W03 was strong in qualifying but faded in the race as it ate through the Pirelli tyres. Mercedes insists it is working on the race pace problem, but the Brackley based team could shine […]

The drama at Sepang continued even through the night, as the hospitality building occupied by the Lotus team burned down. No one was injured in the blaze, which was caused by a faulty fridge fuse. The fire occured around 3.30am local time in Malaysia. Lotus head of team marketing and communications, Stephane Samson told Press Association Sport: "There was a fire in the hospitality unit due to the failure of a fridge fuse, with the whole hospitality and kitchen destroyed. Thankfully a security guard was […]

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner says he will continue to question the legality of Mercedes rear wing even though he believes that it may not currently contravene Formula One’s regulations. Asked in Friday’s official FIA press conference if he still believed that Mercedes’ innovative wing stalling system was legal, Horner said it was unclear in his eyes. “I think there has been a bit of debate obviously about the Mercedes rear wing and assuming that the car has passed scrutineering, (then) at the […]

Make no mistake, the era of Red Bull's utter dominance is over. After McLaren ruled over last weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix, Friday in Malaysia indicated the British team will stay on top in the Sepang heat. Over a single lap, world champion Sebastian Vettel admitted to Germany's Auto Motor und Sport: "McLaren is too strong for us." On long runs, Adrian Newey's RB8 is closer. "This is the positive aspect of the day," said Dr Helmut Marko on Friday. "We have not managed to balance […]

McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton has ended FP1 fastest in Malaysia ahead of reigning world champion Sebastian Vettel, with the heat causing high amounts of tyre wear up and down the grid. Jenson Button suffered a difficult morning session, as the 2009 world champion’s running was cut short due to an oil leak on his McLaren. As the session got underway in hot and humid conditions it was the Toro Rosso of Jean-Eric Vergne that took to the track first, the Frenchman followed out by many […]

F1's governing body has cleared Red Bull and Renault following accusations they are deploying an 'illegal engine trick'. Reports suggested Mercedes, having analysed sound recordings of the Red Bull RB8 in Melbourne, suspected the 'trick' of cutting more than the allowed four cylinders in corners was not legal. "As far as we are concerned, it's legal," said the FIA's Charlie Whiting in Malaysia. There was some good news for Mercedes at Sepang, however, as its W03 passed pre-race scrutineering despite Red Bull and Lotus continuing […]

Fernando Alonso has insisted that Ferrari can still challenge for this year’s Formula One titles, despite a troubled start to the season in Australia last weekend. The Spanish driver could only qualify 12th in Melbourne, after sliding off track in Q2, while team-mate Felipe Massa didn’t get that far, being knocked out in the first 20-minute segment of the session and lining up 16th on the grid. In the race Alonso recovered to take fifth but Massa was forced to retire. Alonso, though, believes the […]