Hamilton grabs pole
Sepang blew hot and cold, the drivers huffed and puffed, but Lewis Hamilton breathed a sigh of relief. The defending world champion on Saturday took full advantage of the unpredictable Sepang weather to record the quickest lap in the third round of qualifying, after a sudden shower cut Q2 short.
Hamilton held on to pole by the skin of his teeth as an impressive Sebastian Vettel, who rises to a whole new plane in wet conditions, was only 0.074 seconds behind the Brit driver, on 1:49.908. Hamilton’s Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg will start in the second row after he clocked 1:50.299.
For a moment in Q3, it seemed like the rivalry between Hamilton and Rosberg, which simmered for most of the previous year, had resurfaced. Hamilton was on his second lap and had just set the fastest time in the first sector when he found himself behind Rosberg’s car. The German was taking it slow, heading towards the pits. To observers, it looked as if Rosberg made no effort to get out of Hamilton’s way, ending any ideas Hamilton might have had about improving on his lap-time.
The two however, were quick to dismiss any suggestions of another rift.
Vettel’s improved showing earned Ferrari their first front-row start in two years. The last time they started in the first row was, coincidentally, at the same circuit in 2013.
Three former champions proved damp squibs, pun intended. Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen failed to advance to Q3 thanks an errant Sauber driver. Now, Raikkonen will start Sunday’s race in the 11th spot. Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, both driving for McLaren, qualified in 17th and 18th positions.
Raikkonen could hardly be faulted for failing to live up to the excellent standards he’d set throughout the three practice sessions. The Finn seemed to have the edge over Hamilton, but Marcus Ericsson held Raikkonen up on the final corner — a sharp hairpin bend. Raikkonen lost crucial pace and did not make the cut while in a cruel twist, the Sauber driver went through to Q3.
However briefly, it seemed like Mercedes and Ferrari would occupy the first four spots, but it then it rained, and fate poured cold water all over Raikkonen’s hopes.