2015 Malaysian Grand Prix grid

2015 Malaysian Grand Prix

28th March 2015, 10:306th September 2023, 0:04 | Written by Keith Collantine

Row 1		1. Lewis Hamilton 1’49.834 Mercedes
	2. Sebastian Vettel 1’49.908 Ferrari
Row 2		3. Nico Rosberg 1’50.299 Mercedes
	4. Daniel Ricciardo 1’51.541 Red Bull
Row 3		5. Daniil Kvyat 1’51.951 Red Bull
	6. Max Verstappen 1’51.981 Toro Rosso
Row 4		7. Felipe Massa 1’52.473 Williams
	8. Valtteri Bottas 1’53.179 Williams
Row 5		9. Marcus Ericsson 1’53.261 Sauber
	10. Romain Grosjean* 1’52.981 Lotus
Row 6		11. Kimi Raikkonen 1’42.173 Ferrari
	12. Pastor Maldonado 1’42.197 Lotus
Row 7		13. Nico Hulkenberg 1’43.022 Force India
	14. Sergio Perez 1’43.468 Force India
Row 8		15. Carlos Sainz Jnr 1’43.700 Toro Rosso
	16. Felipe Nasr 1’41.308 Sauber
Row 9		17. Jenson Button 1’41.636 McLaren
	18. Fernando Alonso 1’41.746 McLaren
Row 10		19. Roberto Merhi** 1’46.677 Manor
	20. Will Stevens** No time Manor

*Moved back two places on the grid due to a pit lane infraction
**Did not set a time within 107% of the fastest time in Q1 but granted permission to start by the stewards

2015 Malaysian Grand Prix

Browse all 2015 Malaysian Grand Prix articles

2014 F1 grids

Browse all 2014 F1 grids

Author information

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...
Read more about Keith Collantine, find all their articles and get in touch with them

Got a potential story, tip or enquiry? Find out more about RaceFans and contact us here.

77 comments on “2015 Malaysian Grand Prix grid”

Mashiat2 (@mashiat2)
28th March 2015, 10:31

Great effort from Sebastian Vettel! He almost beat Hamilton, which proves that the Ferrari has good mechanical and aerodynamic grip. Q3 was almost a carbon-copy of last year! Also good to see McLaren almost getting into Q3. By China, I expect them to be right in the middle of the midfield. Shame about Manor and Stevens, as well as Raikkonen.
1. Kgn11
  28th March 2015, 10:35
  
  That’s only because Nico baulked Lewis on his flying lap when he was a lot faster than Seb
  1. nidzovski (@nidzovski)
    28th March 2015, 10:40
    
    Rosberg always seems to start the mind game first. What a j*rk!
  2. matt90 (@matt90)
    28th March 2015, 10:42
    
    Does the FIA only investigate blocking if a team complains?
    1. D (@f190)
      28th March 2015, 10:44
      
      I think so, also the team have clearly told Hamilton to cover it up. In the press meeting he was super unconvincing when he explained he couldn’t remember it.
    2. Philip (@philipgb)
      28th March 2015, 10:45
      
      Yes, like Alonso in 2007 against Hamilton. I think it would require them to lodge a complaint though, which they won’t, and given the conditions I don’t think it was deliberate I think he just didn’t know where to put his car to be out of the way.
      1. Kgn11
        28th March 2015, 10:49
        
        What the hell mean, “he didn’t know where to put the car”?
        
        How long as he been in F1? Even a rookie knows to get off the racing line, he didn’t.
      2. Marlo Stanfield (@mstanfield)
        28th March 2015, 10:50
        
        Its never deliberate with Rosberg!
        When will you acknowledge a pattern is forming?
      3. Philip (@philipgb)
        28th March 2015, 11:01
        
        There isn’t a definite racing line in the wet. Drivers search for grip where they can find it.
        I actually have changed my mind though, I do now think it was deliberate. He’d just been asking what lines Lewis was using and couldn’t be answered. I think he’s going to use not being given the information as an excuse.
    3. Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
      28th March 2015, 10:46
      
      @matt90 No the race director can also notify them, it doesn’t require a complaint from a team.
      1. matt90 (@matt90)
        28th March 2015, 10:51
        
        In that case I’d like to see it investigated. I’d be very interested to see what the stewards make of it.
      2. russ
        28th March 2015, 18:32
        
        It was clumsy and deliberate.Whats next from him?
    4. Marlo Stanfield (@mstanfield)
      28th March 2015, 10:47
      
      Rosberg has started his “games” again…
      Unfortunately (or fortunately) for him this is the only way he can beat Hamilton.
      1. Kgn11
        28th March 2015, 10:53
        
        Well he tried it last season and it didn’t work, so I’m not sure why he thinks it will work this year.
2. matt90 (@matt90)
  28th March 2015, 10:44
  
  When they both got laps in near the same time, Hamilton was almost 2 seconds faster.
  1. RogerA
    28th March 2015, 10:49
    
    @matt90 Wasn’t really a totally fair comparison as Nico had 2 slower cars in-front of him which held him up & affected his visibility in the spray.
    
    Lewis 1st lap was clean as he didn’t have cars in front of him to hold him up or affect his visibility.
    1. matt90 (@matt90)
      28th March 2015, 10:52
      
      Nobody mentioned Rosberg (although that was also true). We were looking at Vettel being so close.
    2. Kgn11
      28th March 2015, 10:54
      
      I think you’ll find that Lewis had someone in front of him as well and the conditions were worse than when Nico did his laps.
3. James Devon (@tata)
  28th March 2015, 10:53
  
  Over and over again, Nico fails woefully under pressure.
  He just has brain freeze as soon as he is under pressure. What was the point of slowing your team mate down?
  
  For someone who likes flat rimmed caps, gold chains, tattoos, fast cars and beautiful women, Hamilton keeps showing who is the adult in the room.
  
  He refused to talk about the incident during the press breifing.
  1. Blackmamba (@blackmamba)
    28th March 2015, 11:04
    
    Whats a driver’s lifestyle got to do with qualy @tata.
  2. Uzair Syed (@ultimateuzair)
    28th March 2015, 11:12
    
    Hey! I like flat brimmed caps!
Mashiat2 (@mashiat2)
28th March 2015, 10:32

The McLaren looks quite a handful. Watching Alonso onboard, I’m sure he’s missing his FIAT right now.
Adam Marsh
28th March 2015, 10:32

Hamilton blocked by Nico on his first flyer on 2nd run and then stuck behind Massa on the 2nd. Lucky he was massively far ahead from the 1st run.
1. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
  28th March 2015, 10:42
  
  That’s what they call doing a proper banker lap in case things go wrong which they did.
Robert (@gicu)
28th March 2015, 10:33

Massive lap from Vettel there, although it must be said Hamilton had to abandon a lap that was faster than the pole time because of Rosberg. Hoping for rain for tomorrow!
Craig Woollard (@craig-o)
28th March 2015, 10:34

Given the low downforce that Ferrari ran in practice, I was surprised to see Vettel so far up. I’m also a bit baffled by Rosberg’s tactics in holding Hamilton up. Surely he could well earn himself a grid penalty with that? Great job by Verstappen too today.
1. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
  28th March 2015, 10:41
  
  @craig-o I don’t understand it either why he would indeed risk a penalty as you could get one for holding up someone quite easily. Was also surpised to see Vettel up there with the lower df setup. He’s a good driver either way.
PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
28th March 2015, 10:40

Before we go all in this Nico blocked Lewis, he lost a 0,100 at best. It’s funny but don’t act like the lap got utterly ruined.
1. nidzovski (@nidzovski)
  28th March 2015, 10:42
  
  Don’t act like Rosberg lawyer either, OK? It’s not about that 0.100 and you know it.
  1. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
    28th March 2015, 10:44
    
    @nidzovski I think it was plain stupid by Rosberg to not go out of the way clearer and risk, as stated on the comment above, a penalty. But Hamilton could’ve just completed the lap and still gone faster. That is what I’m saying.
    1. nidzovski (@nidzovski)
      28th March 2015, 10:52
      
      @xtwl 0,100 s is your estimation only. I think that Lewis lost a lot more as he backed of at that moment, and to make thing even worst, Nico was putting a pressure after Lewis got in front. I guess that Rosberg knows that he can’t beat his team mate in a mano a mano fight…
      1. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
        28th March 2015, 10:59
        
        @nidzovski I don’t think Lewis would be bothered with the pressure of someone who we both think can’t beat HAM in a ‘mano a mano’ fight.
    2. nidzovski (@nidzovski)
      28th March 2015, 11:12
      
      @xtwl I knoe that Lewis has no reason to feel the pressure of Nico driving behind him of course, but you do agree that it’s not the nicest thing to do after you blocked someone (not to mention your team mate and you are suppose to be a child friend also)?
      1. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
        28th March 2015, 12:05
        
        @nidzovski Well, F1 hasn’t been the place for nice guys since around 1950.
    3. nidzovski (@nidzovski)
      28th March 2015, 12:17
      
      Man I’m not saying that F1 is or should be a best budies place to be but that when Lewis said about Nico after Monaco that he wasn’t his friend anymore, It was Lewis who was seen as a bad guy but I guess that knew Nico far better than us (of course) and he knew his intentions. I think more often Nico plays a victim. That is it.
2. Kgn11
  28th March 2015, 10:43
  
  Yes he lost a tenth, but what it did was messed up his racing line. Hand Nico stayed to the inside of the track, Lewis would’ve been able to take his normal racing line into that corner, which would’ve allowed him to carry the speed onto the next section of the track. So yes he did cost him a lot more than just a tenth.
  1. matt90 (@matt90)
    28th March 2015, 10:46
    
    Exactly, that’s a section where you can be heavily compromised.
  2. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
    28th March 2015, 10:48
    
    They hadn’t been taking the normal racing line through that corner anyway due to the rain. Albeit he indeed lost a tad more than a tenth but what I tried to say is had he continued he had had plenty of room to go faster still. Had it been anyone else than Rosberg nobody would’ve said a thing about it.
    1. nidzovski (@nidzovski)
      28th March 2015, 10:54
      
      It’s not about hating Rosberg. It’a about fair play mate. If the positions were reversed you would read the same thing. Everybody would criticize Lewis including me.
      1. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
        28th March 2015, 10:58
        
        @nidzovski Had the positions been the other way around I would’ve said the same too. It’s a matter of opinion I guess. We both agree he got hold up but give it different value of severeness.
      2. D (@f190)
        28th March 2015, 10:59
        
        +1 its just something which doesn’t need to happen. No one can know the full impact, but the middle sector is where the Mercedes were very strong. Hamilton could’t continue with that lap as from the onboard camera he is clearly looking in the mirror mid corner unsure of where Rosberg was. Also once you’ve had that concentration stopped for that lap its unlikely you’re going to better the time.
    2. Guy (@)
      28th March 2015, 11:00
      
      @xtwl, let it go, man. Two races in and Rosberg is already involved in dodgy situations he started. Only reason he’s not going to the stewards is because it was inter-team. Hamilton was quick in sectors up until he reached Rosberg. He then immediately aborted once he was compromised. It was clear as day. But Hamilton played the bigger man in the press conference. Rosberg looks even more foolish by not putting his hand up and taking accountability. The guy keeps giving people reasons to question him. What are we suppose to do? Keep giving him the benefit of doubt? He could of cost Mercedes pole in what is effectively a home race for them. Vettel nearly snatched it.
    3. matt90 (@matt90)
      28th March 2015, 11:10
      
      They hadn’t been taking the normal racing line through that corner anyway due to the rain.
      
      Every televised one had been (admittedly there were only about 4). Other corners may be different, where the apex can be taken at different points. But that double turn has 2 sharp, clearly defined apexes, and narrowing your line into the corner is an obvious compromise in any conditions.
    4. russ
      28th March 2015, 18:36
      
      Stop being a rosberg tool.He acted childish again.
runforitscooby (@runforitscooby)
28th March 2015, 10:42

……..and the tension resumes at Mercedes.
lockup (@)
28th March 2015, 10:42

Lewis ‘not remembering’ Nico occupying the racing line lol.
1. Chris (@tophercheese21)
  28th March 2015, 11:06
  
  Yeah, I had a chuckle at that as well.
Uzair Syed (@ultimateuzair)
28th March 2015, 10:44

Great effort from Vettel. Shame that Raikkonen didn’t back out of the traffic and set a decent Q2 lap time. Poor qualifying from Rosberg, 3rd again. Doesn’t seem to be one of Rosberg’s strongest tracks. As for Hamilton, also should have backed out of the traffic in Q2 but did get unlucky in Q3 being held up by Rosberg and Massa on two of his runs. Still got pole though.
1. matt90 (@matt90)
  28th March 2015, 10:48
  
  The trouble was that Raikkonen backed off massively right at the end (possibly reacting to Ericsson in front?), so Hamilton ended up far closer than he expected.
  1. PorscheF1 (@xtwl)
    28th March 2015, 10:50
    
    @matt90 Ericcson went wide and Kimi wanted to go up the inside, or so it looked to me at least. Ericcson cut back and caught Kimi by surprise but his line was already hampered.
    1. Gabriel (@rethla)
      28th March 2015, 18:26
      
      It was going so slow so Ericsson actually messed up and went into anti-stall and then he had to defend his position from kimi or else his lap would be over. Since they both where fighting for a good position for a fast lap it was legal.
  2. Kgn11
    28th March 2015, 10:51
    
    But Lewis was behind both of them and was still faster than Kimi
    1. matt90 (@matt90)
      28th March 2015, 11:16
      
      Because he went from a bit behind and fairly compromised to incredibly close over the course of the lap- so he obviously had to be faster than Raikkonen, but was still held up relative to those in front.
2. lockup (@)
  28th March 2015, 10:54
  
  They can’t just back off willy-nilly though, or they get passed by cars behind – shuffled back and back in the queue losing temperatures and pressures, and getting caught by the rain.
Kgn11
28th March 2015, 10:47

Though Seb’s lap was impressive, Lewis was a lot better. Lewis did his time when the conditions were far worse than at any other time after that. So to go out and on his first run to go 1+ seconds faster than anyone, was very impressive.
1. ull
  28th March 2015, 11:35
  
  I would say that that was expected..Merc’s performance advantage don’t disappear suddenly
Philip (@philipgb)
28th March 2015, 10:49

Rosberg asking for driving advice again. Coded messages any one?

A lot of impressive performances today. Button out qualifying Alonso, Vettel splitting the Mercedes, Verstappen really showing the faith the have in him is completely justified and Hamiltons banker lap being so far ahead of Rosberg.

It seems the braking issues he had last year are sorted and he’s down to business showing he hasn’t lost the qualifying flair.
1. Jaanus (@lepondo)
  28th March 2015, 11:12
  
  If we as viewers do not hear Lewis asking for advice, it does not mean that he does not ask for it.
  1. Solo (@solo)
    13th April 2015, 21:18
    
    Believe me, if Lewis asks for it the FIA will immediately let that threw. They have always been very giving when it comes to Hamilton’s messages.
Dirk (@dirksen)
28th March 2015, 11:06

Yeah, Max on P6!! Almost beating Kvyat, what a QP.
Virender Singh (@vjskang)
28th March 2015, 13:48

All Vettel Need to do is to lead Turn 1 and race can be his. Mercedes don’t have straight line as compared to Ferrari. Ferrari has good chance tommorrow with Low downforce and no fear in straights.

Lets see if it work out
1. David-A (@david-a)
  28th March 2015, 14:13
  
  @vjskang Appreciate the optimism, but I’m sure Mercedes have some pace in hand in the dry to avoid that happening. They can also undercut at the tyre stops if they can’t get it done on track (unlikely).
2. pastaman (@)
  28th March 2015, 16:58
  
  It’s good to dream big.
  1. David-A (@david-a)
    29th March 2015, 9:52
    
    @pastaman Sure is!
3. David-A (@david-a)
  29th March 2015, 9:51
  
  @vjskang – Yes! What a prediction! Delighted for Vettel getting #40!
  1. Virender Singh (@vjskang)
    29th March 2015, 15:44
    
    Thanks Mate, I’ve that onmy mind always and good to see it works out well.
    
    Anyways we will all agree that this is what we were looking forward to though not really in 2nd Race but yes I enjoyed it a lot. Good to see we’ll have interesting races up and down the grid.
    
    Hope Alo and Mclaren joins the party too by mid season
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
28th March 2015, 16:04

Caption: Who gives you extra?
Steve Roffey (@steve49)
28th March 2015, 16:05

Kimi will be the man to watch tomorrow, hoping for a dry race so we can see him unleash the Ferrari’s speed advantage to overtake those in front of him.
1. Virender Singh (@vjskang)
  29th March 2015, 15:45
  
  He definately showed his class today but still needs clean weekend to outperform Vettel
Dustybloke
28th March 2015, 17:22

The boy Verstappen is somthing else.

He’s impressed me a lot which isn’t that easy to do.

He’s obviously blindingly quick, but it’s his cool, calm approach that gets me. Brundle is obviously taken with the guy as well.

If Ron has any sense he’ll sign him for next year. Of course, it’ll never happen.
1. peter
  28th March 2015, 18:12
  
  As i said earlier in another topic: the kid will blow many peoples minds! :)
  I’ve been following him closely for over 3 years now. Last year in f3 i was surprised about some mistakes he made and expected him to make some like that this year to. It seems he did learn a lesson or two last year. ;)
rick bradner (@3304hl)
28th March 2015, 18:19

Red Bulls 4th & 5th on the grid; it seems the world isn’t really coming to an end after all…
Gabriel (@rethla)
28th March 2015, 18:19

So everyone that said Ericsson was the worst pay driver on the grid is dead silent now when he out-qualified Nasr by 1sec?
jacobf90 (@jacobf90)
28th March 2015, 20:36

I’m not taking away from Vettel’s lap but Hamilton set his lap when the track was far wetter & it wasn’t beaten & for me that shows how phenomenonal Hamilton’s pole lap was. The last person across line had the lap where the track was at its best (as long as they don’t have traffic or a Nico Rosberg Mercedes parked in the middle of the road) & Hamilton’s lap couldn’t be beaten. As good as Vettel’s lap was it was made to look closer than it was. Nevertheless a big well done to both drivers, they are the class of the field. Would be great to see Alonso & the Macca’s get in that mix at some point soon. Oh & not to forget Danny Ric, glad to see him on the 2nd row as well!
1. rm
  28th March 2015, 20:54
  
  The last person across line had the lap where the track was at its best
  
  Only three of the ten drivers in Q3 set their fastest time on their final lap, which suggests you’re incorrect about track conditions improving dramatically towards the end of the session.
  1. jacobf90 (@jacobf90)
    29th March 2015, 7:46
    
    Fair point.
jas
29th March 2015, 7:40

what do you guys thnk? first 8??

Hamilton
Rosberg
Vettle
Riccardo

Comments are closed.

New on RaceFans

2015 Malaysian Grand Prix

2014 F1 grids

Author information

Keith Collantine

77 comments on “2015 Malaysian Grand Prix grid”