Malaysian GP: Maldonado & Barrichello 11th & 12th in FP2

With both AT&T Williams drivers finishing in the top ten, Pastor Maldonado fifth and Rubens Barrichello eighth, it was an encouraging start as the team prepared for the second Friday practice session.

A large number of drivers would come out early including both Williams drivers. Alguersuari would set the first time of the session with a 1m:43.663 but he would be passed by Perez with a 1m:42.171. The track conditions were dry but warmer than the morning as Di Resta moved into third while Kobayashi went fastest with a 1m:41.805. Webber's first time would be a 1m:45.664 while Pastor's first lap was a 1m:42.478 to see him in third. His next lap was a 1m:40.763 to move up to second if only briefly.

Schumacher was now second with a 1m:40.657. At the front it would be Massa who was now fastest, 1m:40.463, but Rubens would move ahead with a 1m:40.441. But it would be Hamilton who would set the new quickest time with a 1m:38.987. Pastor would pit after just two laps as Schumacher moved up to second with a 1m:39.820.

Button was now third, 1m:40.368, seeing Rubens now third followed by Massa and Alonso. Pastor was now in seventh and in his pit. Kobayashi was eighth from Perez and Alguersuari. Rubens would go fastest in sector one but the end of his lap would see no improvement remaining in fourth. The track would empty quite quickly with just the Ferrari's, Red Bull, and the Williams of Rubens out on the track. They were joined by Rosberg.

Rubens would pit as Pastor returned to the track. Rosberg would improve to move up to tenth, 1m:41.806. Webber and Vettel were down in fifteenth and sixteenth with twenty minutes of the session completed. On his next lap Rosberg would move up to third with a 1m:39.833. But this would become fourth as Pastor moved to the top of the times with a 1m:38.968. His time would be set on the softer tyres. Schumacher was now third, 1m:39.820. there were just four drivers on the track. Pastor would pit after his one flying lap.

Both McLaren's were back out on the track with Hamilton and Button in second and fifth Rubens was now down in sixth. Neither of the Renault's had taken to the track most likely as a result of their earlier troubles. Rubens would return to the track with just over an hour remaining. Button was now third, 1m:39.550. Perez was now tenth followed by Buemi and Kobayashi. Rubens would also pit and take on a set of the softer tyre and his lap would see him in third with a 1m:39.187. The Renault team were still investigating the failures that had occurred with the front suspension on both cars.

Alonso was now third with a 1m:39.122 but his time was set on the harder tyre. Pastor would return to the track but at the end of his lap he would take to the pit lane where he would drive through and return to the track. His run was on the harder tyre and his pace seemed to indicate that he was on a heavier fuel load. Schumacher would try the softer tyre and would go straight to the top of the times with a 1m:38.088. Alguersuari was now second, also on the soft tyre, as both Red Bull cars took to the track.

Vettel was on the softer tyre and would move ahead of Schumacher with a 1m:37.090 but Webber would continue to show his pace moving ahead of Vettel with a 1m:36.876. Pastor would take a trip across the gravel but was able to continue. Petrov would head out as Liuzzi would park his HRT at Turn nine after having an off track moment at Turn seven. Pastor would return to the pits but on entering it he would run wide and onto the grass where he would spin his car. He would climb out of his car as the marshals recovered the car. Pastor had damaged the nose of his FW33 but the damage was only light.

On the softer tyre Button would set a 1m:36.881 to be just behind Webber. Hamilton would move up to third with a 1m:37.010. With twenty minutes remaining Webber was fastest from Button and Hamilton. Rosberg was in seventh as the final period of the session counted down. Vettel was in fourth ahead of Schumacher, Massa, Rosberg, Heidfeld, Alonso, and Alguersuari in tenth. Pastor would finish ahead of Rubens with the pair in eleventh and twelfth at the end of the session. After their encouraging first session it was disappointing to see both Williams drivers outside the top ten. But for Pastor to finish ahead of Rubens must have been pleasing for him on his first visit to the Sepang circuit.

Pos  Driver	    Team		  Time       Laps
 1.  Webber         Red Bull-Renault      1m36.876s  24
 2.  Button         McLaren-Mercedes      1m36.881s  30
 3.  Hamilton       McLaren-Mercedes      1m37.010s  23
 4.  Vettel         Red Bull-Renault      1m37.090s  30
 5.  Schumacher     Mercedes              1m38.088s  26
 6.  Massa          Ferrari               1m38.089s  31
 7.  Rosberg        Mercedes              1m38.565s  25
 8.  Heidfeld       Renault               1m38.570s  16
 9.  Alonso         Ferrari               1m38.583s  27
10.  Alguersuari    Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m38.846s  31
11.  Maldonado      Williams-Cosworth     1m38.968s  25
12.  Barrichello    Williams-Cosworth     1m39.187s  30
13.  Petrov         Renault               1m39.267s  17
14.  Kobayashi      Sauber-Ferrari        1m39.398s  29
15.  Perez          Sauber-Ferrari        1m39.603s  34
16.  di Resta       Force India-Mercedes  1m39.625s  31
17.  Sutil          Force India-Mercedes  1m39.809s  28
18.  Buemi          Toro Rosso-Ferrari    1m40.115s  31
19.  Glock          Virgin-Cosworth       1m40.866s  24
20.  Trulli         Lotus-Renault         1m41.890s  19
21.  Karthikeyan    HRT-Cosworth          1m43.197s  15
22.  Liuzzi         HRT-Cosworth          1m43.991s  14
23.  Kovalainen     Lotus-Renault         1m44.886s  4