Rosberg & Webber on second row for Malaysian GP

With qualifying about to start we have to bear in mind that four drivers are going to suffer ten-place grid penalties for engine changes. They were both Ferrari's, Barrichello, and the Red Bull of David Coulthard. How this will affect their strategy is yet to be seen. Maybe they would not even bother to run in the final of the three sessions. There would be a large number of cars that would come out early in the session to make sure they post a time.

The first driver to set a time was Albers, 1m:38.357, followed by Sato. Coulthard went fastest with a 1m:36.507. We had twelve drivers on the circuit. Trulli was now second, 1m:37.109 but was passed by Klein. Fisichella was now fastest with a 1m:35.488. Ralf was now fastest with a 1m:35.267. Alonso was in third with a 1m:35.514. Scott Speed was now in fourth with a 1m:36.424. Barrichello moved ahead of the American with a 1m:35.902. Raikkonen was out and on a quick lap. Nico was out on the track.

Kimi would go fastest with a 1m:34.667. Only one driver was yet to come out, that of Massa. Button was now in second with a 1m:35.023. Michael Schumacher was now in seventh with a 1m:36.076. Now e had the final car of Massa out. Montoya was on a quick lap setting fastest sector times finishing his lap with a 1m:34.536.

Nico was in sixth with a fastest final sector, 1m:35.577. Mark was now in fourth with a 1m:35.252. Mark would also set a new fastest final sector time. So we had the two McLaren's at the front, from Button, Webber, Ralf Schumacher, Fisichella, Alonso, Trulli, and Rosberg. In the last six was the Toyota of Jarno Trulli. Trulli was now in eleventh with a 1m:35.517. Nico was now in fifth with a 1m:35.105. Mark was now in seventh as the session came to a close. Coulthard would move into third with a 1m:34.839. Michael Schumacher was in sixteenth. With the end of the session the bottom six cars were the cars from Torro Ross, MF1, and Super Aguri.

But we would have both WilliamsF1 cars making it through into the next fifteen minute session.

After a five minute break the second fifteen minute session would see sixteen drivers looking to make the final ten. There were several drivers taking to the circuit, including Klien, Villeneuve, Both Renault's, Coulthard, and both Toyota's. Villeneuve would set the first time with a 1m:36.669. Klien would go faster with a 1m:34.842. Coulthard would put the second Red Bull car into the front with a 1m:34.614. We still had yet to see either of the WilliamsF1 cars.

Trulli was fourth with a 1m:34.826. Montoya was now at the top of the times with a 1m:34.568. Ralf Schumacher was in second, 1m:34.586. Ralf would stop his car in the first sector with smoke coming from the rear of his car with what looks like an engine failure. His qualifying was over. Heidfeld was now in fourth
with a 1m:34.783. Kimi would push his team-mate into second with a 1m:34.351. Both Mark and Nico were now out on the circuit.

Barrichello was in ninth and not looking good to make into the next session. Alonso was in tenth and Villeneuve eleventh. mark would set a fastest first sector with a 24.6. Michael Schumacher was now in third with a 1m:34.574. But is a great lap Nico was now second with a 1m:34.563. But it would be Mark who was now fastest with a1m:34.279. Just as quickly Button would beat marks time with a 1m:33.527, with just over three minutes remaining. Both Renault's were outside the top ten.

Mark was in second and Nico fourth. Both BMW Sauber's were also outside the top ten. Klien was now in fourth with a 1m:34.537. But Alonso would sort things out by going second fastest, only to be beaten by team-mate Fisichella. With the end of the session those drivers to be knocked out were Coulthard, Barrichello, Trulli, Villeneuve, Heidfeld, and Massa.

Ralf was in the top ten but with his apparent engine failure it was most unlikely he would make it into the next session. Mark and Nico would finish the session in fourth and seventh.

Mark was lapping very consistently, but he did have a moment when he went wide at one corner. Mark would set a new fastest first sector, 25.2. After putting new tyres on his car Button would lower this with a 24.9. Jenson would continue his quick lap moving into the top time with a 1m:34.504. Nico was also on new tyres and was able to move ahead of Mark with a 1m:34.626.

Michael was now in fourth with a 1m:35.164 followed by Fisichella. Mark was now in fifth. Next came Klien, Alonso, Raikkonen, and Montoya. Juan Pablo was now on new tyres and was out on a quick lap. He would move into third with a 1m:34.916 but mark would quickly push the McLaren back one spot. Mark was now in third with a 1m:34.672. Both WilliamsF1 cars were looking very strong.

Now it was Fisichella's turn. Fastest in the first two sectors, to finish with a 1m:33.840 and fastest time. Michael was now in fourth. Both Mark and Nico were in their pits. Button would et a time of 1m:33.986 which would leave him in second. The order at the end of the session was Fisichella from Button, Rosberg, Michael Schumacher, Webber, Montoya, Raikkonen, Alonso, Klien and Ralf Schumacher.

Again Nico would finish ahead of Mark. Nico is certainly showing that the WilliamsF1 team made the right decision. It really was a stunning drive from the German. Both WilliamsF1 cars will start the race from the second row as Michael will drop ten places on the grid. But there was the uncertainty of what fuel strategies each driver was running come Sunday.