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General

2014 Malaysian Grand Prix Saturday - Qualifying

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That's it, here's the order:

1 Hamilton
2 Vettel
3 Rosberg
4 Alonso
5 Ricciardo
6 Raikkonen
7 Hulkenberg
8 Magnussen
9 Vergne
10 Button
...then loses third to Rosberg.
Alonso can't improve, he stays third...
No improvement for Magnussen, who stays eighth.
Hamilton runs wide at Turn 4 on his final lap. He won't beat his best lap now
Raikkonen can't improve on sixth.
Alonso does his best first sector time so far. He's third but 0.7s off Hamilton and Vettel.
Checkered flag
Vettel's lap is slower at the end and he takes the chequered flag.
Hamilton on visibility: "I can't see anyone out of my mirrors. I don't know where everyone is."
Vettel does his best middle sector yet but has more to find.
Everyone on track but no one improving - has the rain got worse?
Hulkenberg pips Magnussen for seventh.
Both Magnussen and Hulkenberg get better first sector times then lose ground in the middle of the lap.
Raikkonen gets the tyres he wanted.
"We have to change tyres" says a frantic sounding Raikkonen over the radio.
Vettel comes in for fresh wets.
Button is only 10th on his inters, 5s off the pace, 1.4s off ninth-placed Vergne.
Magnussen seventh after his first run.
Rosberg, meanwhile, runs wide at Turn 7.
Hamilton did a better middle sector but overall the lap is 0.2s slower than his provisional pole.
Hamilton poised to improve on this lap.
Hulkenberg and Vergne are seventh and eighth, no times yet from McLaren.
"Keep pushing" is the call from the pitwall to Hamilton.
Order after first runs: 1 Hamilton, 2 Vettel, 3 Alonso, 4 Rosberg, 5 Ricciardo, 6 Raikkonen
Vettel takes second, only 0.055s off Hamilton.
Alonso into second, 0.005s up on Rosberg.
Rosberg's first go is 0.7s down on Hamilton.
Stopwatch
Hamilton through with a 1m59.431s for provisional pole.
Stopwatch
Raikkonen sets the first time with a 2m01.218s.
Button is going for intermediates, though.
"It's too wet" says Magnussen, when asked by the team if the conditions are OK for intermediate tyres.
Bottas will also be investigated after qualifying for allegedly holding up Ricciardo during Q2.
Green flag
The Sepang pole shootout is underway.
BEN ANDERSON: "I bet Kevin Magnussen is breathing a HUGE sigh of relief from the cockpit of his McLaren. Went off at the last corner while on for a much better time; Kvyat just three tenths shy of dumping the Dane out in Q2..."
EDD STRAW: "The battle for the final slot in Q2 was a good one in the closing stages. Perez initially held 10th, but Gutierrez, Kvyat and then eventually Vergne took the position with a series of late improvements.

"Again impressed with both Toro Rosso drivers, in particular Vergne who gets into Q3 for the second time this year."
BEN ANDERSON: "Fantastic recovery by Jean-Eric Vergne to win that incredibly close battle for the final top 10 shootout berth.

"Ironic to see Romain Grosjean qualify only one place ahead of his Lotus team-mate Maldonado despite that superb Q1 effort."
Q2 order:

1 Hamilton
2 Vettel
3 Rosberg
4 Ricciardo
5 Hulkenberg
6 Alonso
7 Raikkonen
8 Button
9 Magnussen
10 Vergne
--------------
11 Kvyat
12 Gutierrez
13 Massa
14 Perez
15 Bottas
16 Grosjean
Crash
A spin for Grosjean ended his chance of improving. He'll be 16th.
EDD STRAW: "Williams again struggled in the wet. Both Bottas and Massa failed to make Q2 having looked dead certs to do so in the dry.

"In Australia, both drivers complained of poor traction and that appears to have been a weakness again here. Everyone at Williams will be hoping for a dry race tomorrow."
Massa only gets to 13th.

By: Scott Mitchell, Edd Straw, Ben Anderson, Andrew van Leeuwen, Jonathan Noble, Pablo Elizalde

Published: