Sepang, 3 April

Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro’s hopes of a strong qualifying session this afternoon, based on competitive runs during free practice, were literally washed away in the rain, when a heavy downpour hit the track just as the first part of the session began. The plain facts are that Fernando Alonso will start tomorrow’s Malaysian Grand Prix from the tenth row of the grid in nineteenth place, with Felipe Massa right behind him in twenty first place.
Of course, like every other team, the Ferrari strategists were aware of the rain, except that the team’s weather forecast predicted an improvement in track conditions towards the end of Q1, so Fernando and Felipe were kept in the garage. By the time it was clear that the downpour was getting stronger, it was an impossible task to lap quickly enough to set at least a sixteenth fastest time which would have given the drivers a chance to make a better attempt in Q2. There can be no consolation in these situations, but at least two of the team’s main championship rivals, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were also caught out and start from seventeenth and twentieth places respectively.



The team that seems to have the fastest car so far this season, Red Bull, made the best of the conditions, getting Mark Webber onto pole position and Sebastian Vettel right behind him in third. Joining the Australian on the front row is Nico Rosberg in the Mercedes. Alongside him is fellow German, Adrian Sutil in the Force India. Row 3 sees the Williams of Nico Hulkenberg in fifth spot, with Robert Kubica next to him in sixth place.
More rain is forecast for tomorrow’s race which starts at exactly the same time as today’s session – four in the afternoon. Whether or not this will favour or hinder the two Ferrari men is impossible to tell, as much will depend on the behaviour of those around them on the grid.