Malaysian Grand Prix grid

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Here is the Malaysian Grand Prix grid following the application of penalties.

The drivers’ starting weights have been published – see here: Malaysian GP fuel weights and strategies

1. Jenson Button 1’35.181
2. Jarno Trulli 1’35.273
3. Timo Glock 1’35.690
4. Nico Rosberg 1’35.750
5. Mark Webber 1’35.797
6. Robert Kubica 1’36.106
7. Kimi Raikkonen 1’36.170
8. Rubens Barrichello 1’35.651**
9. Fernando Alonso 1’37.659
10. Nick Heidfeld 1’34.769
11. Kazuki Nakajima 1’34.788
12. Lewis Hamilton 1’34.905
13. Sebastian Vettel 1’35.518*
14. Heikki Kovalainen 1’34.924
15. Sebastien Bourdais 1’35.431
16. Felipe Massa 1’35.642
17. Nelson Piquet Jnr 1’35.708
18. Giancarlo Fisichella 1’35.908
19. Adrian Sutil 1’35.951
20. Sebastien Buemi 1’36.107

*Ten place grid penalty for causing an avoidable accident with Robert Kubica in the Australian Grand Prix.

**Five place penalty for a gearbox change.

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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13 comments on “Malaysian Grand Prix grid”

  1. Whoah. Don’t get ahead of yourself, Keith. Someone might have to change a wheelnut, a flexible mirror or something else that brings a penalty in this sport. Just hang on and make sure that Max’s mate Al doesn’t notice that Ferrari are slow before you get so bold and post quali positions – he might just do something about it yet.

    On a lighter note (laughing at my own jokes), someone asked at the death of the live quali blog if any teams were running a wet/dry setup in Q3. After clearing my head, it might explain Raikkonen not using KERS. Of course, he wouldn’t want it blowing up on a fast lap, but the wet setup sounds more reasonable to me. KERS would destroy the tyres immediately in dry conditions with a wet config, surely?

  2. I cannot imagine teams risking a wet set up, unless you’re in a force india of course (or maybe a mclaren???) and have nothing to lose.

    The front guys would have had a dry set up for sure. I think that not using KERS in malaysia might be a smart move – if the ferrari could be set up without it that is. Think about it – no cooling problems with the KERS system, no extinguishers going off…

    Might tomorrow be Trulli and Toyota’s day, or will Button smash everyone again?

    1. Not full wet, but perhaps a compromise. There have been strong forecasts of wet weather tomorrow.

  3. Robert McKay
    4th April 2009, 12:57

    Just being a bit silly here I think – Rubens drops 5 places, but lucks into one of them back because he qualified behind Vettel, so moving back up one spot for a net drop of 4?

    So vice-versa had Rubens outqualified Vettel then Vettel’s net drop would have been 9?

    Makes sense, but at the same time…it doesn’t in a way, really!

  4. I think Alonso should be starting ahead of Barrichello – I don’t think Rubens gets a free place back.

    1. I think the same. I supposed Barrichello was supposed to start P4 + 5 = P9.

  5. Is RAI not using KERS in the race? Anybody know if he used it in qualifying?

    Heidfeld looks really good, if he uses KERS on the start straight well, he can really capitalize on his heavy fuel load. But he’s starting on the dirty side of the track.

  6. Ethnic_Tension
    4th April 2009, 15:26

    RAI’s car has KERS but he had it turned off for qualifying. No news why.

  7. What about the fact that Glock blocked, or attempted to block Barrichello at the end of Q3? Seems like they are looking into it

  8. Robert McKay
    4th April 2009, 19:23

    According to the official site Rubens is starting 8th. So it seems like having someone who is getting a penalty outqualify you is a bonus if you have your own penalty.

  9. Well that’s a change from the past so. Unless it’s because Vettel’s penalty was from the previous race and that’s why it’s applied first.

  10. you are the second Schumacher

  11. best driver for me

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