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Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton claimed pole position for the 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix in a rain and crash-hit qualifying session on Saturday (March 29).
Hamilton's 1min 59.431 seconds lap time beat Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel into second place on the grid for Sunday's (March 30) race, while Mercedes' Nico Rosberg will start third.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen qualified fourth and sixth, separated by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
'VERY, VERY TRICKY OUT THERE'
Hamilton's pole was the 33rd of his career, bringing him level with former world champion Jim Clark for the most by any British driver. It also puts him in an ideal position to make up for his early retirement from the season opener in Australia due to an engine misfire.
Hamilton said: "It was very, very tricky out there, particularly at the end — it was almost impossible to see on the last lap."
Alonso recovered from a crash that broke his front suspension in the second session of qualifying and will start from fourth on the grid. His team mate Kimi Raikkonen qualified sixth, behind Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
Force India's Nico Hulkenberg, McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen, Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne and McLaren's Jenson Button rounded out the top ten.
RAIN-SOAKED TRACK
There was standing water on the track from a pre-qualifying downpour, and lighter rain continued throughout the sessions to make things difficult for all drivers, who switched back and forth between the intermediate and full-wet tires as they tried to find the right setup for the conditions.
The first session of qualifying was held up after Caterham's Marcus Ericsson went off the track, into a wall, through a brake marker and back onto the track where he was almost hit by Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez.
There was also a red flag in the second qualifying session, when Toro Rosso rookie Daniil Kvyat tried to pass Alonso on the inside of a corner but collided with the Ferrari, leaving debris on the track.
2014 Malaysian GP: Qualifying results
Q3
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min59.431
2 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1min59.486
3 Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 2 min00.050
4. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 2 min00.175
5 Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 2 min00.541
6 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 2 min01.218
7 Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 2 min01.712
8 Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren 2 min02.213
9 Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso 2 min03.078
10 Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 2 min04.053
Q2
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min59.041 (Q)
2 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1min59.399 (Q)
3 Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1min59.445 (Q)
4 Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 2min00.147 (Q)
5 Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 2min00.839 (Q)
6 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 2min01.356 (Q)
7 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 2min01.532 (Q)
8 Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 2min01.810 (Q)
9 Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren 2min02.094 (Q)
10 Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso2min 02.096 (Q)
11 Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso 2min02.351
12 Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Sauber 2min02.369
13 Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 2min02.460
14 Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India 2min02.511
15 Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 2min02.756,
16 Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus2min02.885
Q1
1 Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1min57.183 (Q)
2 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min57.202 (Q)
3 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull1min57.654 (Q)
4 Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 1min58.883 (Q)
5 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1min58.889 (Q)
6 Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull1min58.913 (Q)
7 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1min59.257 (Q)
8 Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1min59.709 (Q)
9 Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 2min00.047 (Q)
10 Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India 2min00.076 (Q)
11 Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus 2min00.202 (Q)
12 Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren 2min00.358 (Q)
13 Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 2min00.889 (Q)
14 Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Sauber 2min01.134 (Q)
15 Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso 2min01.175 (Q)
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso 2min01.689 (Q)
17 Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Lotus 2min02.074
18 Adrian Sutil (GER) Sauber 2min02.131
19 Jules Bianchi (FRA) Marussia 2min02.702
20 Kamui Kobayashi (JPN) Caterham 2min03.595
21 Max Chilton (GBR) Marussia 2min04.388
22 Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Caterham 2min04.407
Starting grid for the 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix:
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes
2 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull
3 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes
4 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull
6 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari
7 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India
8 Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) McLaren
9 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso
10 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren
11 Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso
12 Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Sauber
13 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams
14 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India
15 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams
16 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus
17 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Lotus
18 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Sauber
19 Jules Bianchi (France) Marussia
20 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Caterham
21 Max Chilton (Britain) Marussia
22 Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Caterham
Third practice
Second practice
First practice
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 Malaysian GP
Hamilton's 1min 59.431 seconds lap time beat Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel into second place on the grid for Sunday's (March 30) race, while Mercedes' Nico Rosberg will start third.
Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen qualified fourth and sixth, separated by Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
'VERY, VERY TRICKY OUT THERE'
Hamilton's pole was the 33rd of his career, bringing him level with former world champion Jim Clark for the most by any British driver. It also puts him in an ideal position to make up for his early retirement from the season opener in Australia due to an engine misfire.
Hamilton said: "It was very, very tricky out there, particularly at the end — it was almost impossible to see on the last lap."
Alonso recovered from a crash that broke his front suspension in the second session of qualifying and will start from fourth on the grid. His team mate Kimi Raikkonen qualified sixth, behind Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo.
Force India's Nico Hulkenberg, McLaren rookie Kevin Magnussen, Toro Rosso's Jean-Eric Vergne and McLaren's Jenson Button rounded out the top ten.
RAIN-SOAKED TRACK
There was standing water on the track from a pre-qualifying downpour, and lighter rain continued throughout the sessions to make things difficult for all drivers, who switched back and forth between the intermediate and full-wet tires as they tried to find the right setup for the conditions.
The first session of qualifying was held up after Caterham's Marcus Ericsson went off the track, into a wall, through a brake marker and back onto the track where he was almost hit by Sauber's Esteban Gutierrez.
There was also a red flag in the second qualifying session, when Toro Rosso rookie Daniil Kvyat tried to pass Alonso on the inside of a corner but collided with the Ferrari, leaving debris on the track.
2014 Malaysian GP: Qualifying results
Q3
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min59.431
2 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1min59.486
3 Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 2 min00.050
4. Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 2 min00.175
5 Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 2 min00.541
6 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 2 min01.218
7 Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 2 min01.712
8 Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren 2 min02.213
9 Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso 2 min03.078
10 Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 2 min04.053
Q2
1 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min59.041 (Q)
2 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull 1min59.399 (Q)
3 Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1min59.445 (Q)
4 Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull 2min00.147 (Q)
5 Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 2min00.839 (Q)
6 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 2min01.356 (Q)
7 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 2min01.532 (Q)
8 Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 2min01.810 (Q)
9 Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren 2min02.094 (Q)
10 Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso2min 02.096 (Q)
11 Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso 2min02.351
12 Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Sauber 2min02.369
13 Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 2min02.460
14 Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India 2min02.511
15 Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 2min02.756,
16 Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus2min02.885
Q1
1 Nico Rosberg (GER) Mercedes 1min57.183 (Q)
2 Lewis Hamilton (GBR) Mercedes 1min57.202 (Q)
3 Sebastian Vettel (GER) Red Bull1min57.654 (Q)
4 Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Force India 1min58.883 (Q)
5 Fernando Alonso (ESP) Ferrari 1min58.889 (Q)
6 Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) Red Bull1min58.913 (Q)
7 Kimi Raikkonen (FIN) Ferrari 1min59.257 (Q)
8 Valtteri Bottas (FIN) Williams 1min59.709 (Q)
9 Felipe Massa (BRA) Williams 2min00.047 (Q)
10 Sergio Perez (MEX) Force India 2min00.076 (Q)
11 Romain Grosjean (FRA) Lotus 2min00.202 (Q)
12 Kevin Magnussen (DEN) McLaren 2min00.358 (Q)
13 Jenson Button (GBR) McLaren 2min00.889 (Q)
14 Esteban Gutierrez (MEX) Sauber 2min01.134 (Q)
15 Daniil Kvyat (RUS) Toro Rosso 2min01.175 (Q)
16 Jean-Eric Vergne (FRA) Toro Rosso 2min01.689 (Q)
17 Pastor Maldonado (VEN) Lotus 2min02.074
18 Adrian Sutil (GER) Sauber 2min02.131
19 Jules Bianchi (FRA) Marussia 2min02.702
20 Kamui Kobayashi (JPN) Caterham 2min03.595
21 Max Chilton (GBR) Marussia 2min04.388
22 Marcus Ericsson (SWE) Caterham 2min04.407
Starting grid for the 2014 Malaysian Grand Prix:
1 Lewis Hamilton (Britain) Mercedes
2 Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull
3 Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes
4 Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari
5 Daniel Ricciardo (Australia) Red Bull
6 Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari
7 Nico Hulkenberg (Germany) Force India
8 Kevin Magnussen (Denmark) McLaren
9 Jean-Eric Vergne (France) Toro Rosso
10 Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren
11 Daniil Kvyat (Russia) Toro Rosso
12 Esteban Gutierrez (Mexico) Sauber
13 Felipe Massa (Brazil) Williams
14 Sergio Perez (Mexico) Force India
15 Valtteri Bottas (Finland) Williams
16 Romain Grosjean (France) Lotus
17 Pastor Maldonado (Venezuela) Lotus
18 Adrian Sutil (Germany) Sauber
19 Jules Bianchi (France) Marussia
20 Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Caterham
21 Max Chilton (Britain) Marussia
22 Marcus Ericsson (Sweden) Caterham
Third practice
Second practice
First practice
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 Malaysian GP
