After sitting through the Australian GP, and watching this evening’s qualifying we can only pray for rain at some point tomorrow.
As per last season and last race Mercedes holds the considerable advantage in the dry, however the gap doesn’t look quite as big with Ferrari making some inroads. Highlighted by Vettel almost snatching the first non-Mercedes pole since Felipe Massa in Austria last year.
Thankfully the race time has been moved forward this year so if it does rain it won’t be race ending.
QUALIFYING RESULTS
| Pos | Driver | Car | Time | Gap |
| 1 | Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 1m49.834s | – |
| 2 | Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 1m49.908s | 0.074s |
| 3 | Nico Rosberg | Mercedes | 1m50.299s | 0.465s |
| 4 | Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull/Renault | 1m51.541s | 1.707s |
| 5 | Daniil Kvyat | Red Bull/Renault | 1m51.950s | 2.116s |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Toro Rosso/Renault | 1m51.980s | 2.146s |
| 7 | Felipe Massa | Williams/Mercedes | 1m52.473s | 2.639s |
| 8 | Valtteri Bottas | Williams/Mercedes | 1m53.179s | 3.345s |
| 9 | Marcus Ericsson | Sauber/Ferrari | 1m53.260s | 3.426s |
| 10 | Romain Grosjean | Lotus/Mercedes | 1m52.980s | 3.146s |
| 11 | Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 1m42.173s | – |
| 12 | Pastor Maldonado | Lotus/Mercedes | 1m42.197s | – |
| 13 | Nico Hulkenberg | Force India/Mercedes | 1m43.022s | – |
| 14 | Sergio Perez | Force India/Mercedes | 1m43.468s | – |
| 15 | Carlos Sainz | Toro Rosso/Renault | 1m43.700s | – |
| 16 | Felipe Nasr | Sauber/Ferrari | 1m41.308s | – |
| 17 | Jenson Button | McLaren/Honda | 1m41.635s | – |
| 18 | Fernando Alonso | McLaren/Honda | 1m41.745s | – |
| 19 | Roberto Merhi | Marussia/Ferrari | 1m46.677s | – |
| 20 | Will Stevens | Marussia/Ferrari | – | – |
WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR THE RACE
– If it is dry, can Hamilton break Rosberg’s heart so early in the season?
– Can the Ferrari pace hold up on raceday.
– Will the medium tyres die in the arse in the Malaysian heat.
– Can a Marussia/Manor finish, and if they do will there be a McLaren behind it?
– Who will win the McLaren poison chalice head to head.
– Was the Sauber form from Oz a fluke?
– Can Kimi care enough to come through the pack from 11th.
– Which car will the Lotus’ be involved with at first corner?
BEST BETS FOR THE RACE
1st Retirement – Pastor Maldonaldo $11.50 or Marcus Ericsson $15.25
Points Finish – Nico Hulkenburg – $2.40
Top 6 Finish – Max Verstappen – $2.75
Win – Lewis Hamilton – $1.33 (very brave)
Double Points Finish – McLaren No – $1.02
Driver Classified (Finish within 10%) – Alonso – No – $2.10
