2009 Malaysian Grand Prix | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 2 of 17 in the 2009 Formula One World Championship
| |||||
Race details [1] | |||||
Date | 5 April 2009 | ||||
Official name | 2009 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix | ||||
Location | Sepang International Circuit Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia | ||||
Course | Permanent racing facility | ||||
Course length | 5.543 km (3.444 miles) | ||||
Distance | 31 laps, 171.833 km (106.772 miles) | ||||
Scheduled distance | 56 laps, 310.408 km (192.879 miles) | ||||
Weather | Dry start, with heavy rain and thunderstorm/monsoon later | ||||
Attendance | 97,368 (Weekend) [2] | ||||
Pole position | |||||
Driver | Brawn-Mercedes | ||||
Time | 1.35.181 | ||||
Fastest lap | |||||
Driver | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | |||
Time | 1:36.641 on lap 18 | ||||
Podium | |||||
First | Brawn-Mercedes | ||||
Second | BMW Sauber | ||||
Third | Toyota | ||||
Lap leaders |
The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix (formally the 2009 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix) [3] was a Formula One motor race held on 5 April 2009 at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Malaysia. It was the second race of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship. The race was due to be contested over 56 laps, but was stopped after 31 laps due to torrential rain. Jenson Button, driving for the Brawn GP team, was declared the winner, having started from pole position. Nick Heidfeld was classified second for BMW Sauber with Timo Glock third for Toyota.
As the race did not reach the required 75% distance (42 laps) for full points to be awarded, half-points were given instead, for only the fifth time in Formula One history and the first since the 1991 Australian Grand Prix and the last for 12 years until the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. [4] [5] The race distance of 171.833 km (106.772 mi) was the fifth-shortest ever covered in a World Championship Grand Prix. [6] Brawn GP became only the second constructor to win their first two World Championship Grands Prix since Alfa Romeo won the first two ever, in 1950. [7]
After winning the season-opening Australian Grand Prix held one week earlier, Jenson Button led the Drivers' Championship by two points from his teammate Rubens Barrichello and by four points from Jarno Trulli. Trulli's teammate Timo Glock was fourth and Fernando Alonso completed the top five. [8] Brawn GP led the Constructors' Championship by 7 points from Toyota and by 14 points from Renault. Williams and Toro Rosso were fourth and fifth. [8]
The race start time was moved forward two hours, from 17:00 local time (09:00 UTC) to 15:00 local time (07:00 UTC). However, the organisers turned down the possibility of holding a night race, in line with the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix, for budgetary reasons. [9]
"This morning we had a problem with the KERS, which cost us a bit of time, but we managed to make up for most of it in the afternoon. We had felt that the situation here could be different to Melbourne, but it is still too early to say where we are up against the opposition. What we can be sure of is that when the car runs trouble-free, we are competitive. We hope we can do a good job in tomorrow's qualifying."
Kimi Räikkönen, after his incident in the first practice session, and after setting the fastest lap in the second practice session. [10]
Three practice sessions were held before the race; the first was held on Friday morning and the second on Friday afternoon. Both sessions lasted 1 hour and 30 minutes with weather conditions dry throughout. The third session was held on Saturday morning and lasted an hour, and was also dry throughout. [11] Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima secured a Williams one-two in the first session with times of 1:36.260 and 1:36.305 minutes respectively. In the second session, Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa went quickest with times of 1:35.707 and 1:35.832 minutes. After 18 laps, Räikkönen's cockpit began to billow out smoke, and though Ferrari did not give an official statement, there are reports that the car's kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) had overheated. [12]
Jenson Button took Brawn's second consecutive pole ahead of Jarno Trulli's Toyota. [13] Rubens Barrichello qualified fourth in the other Brawn (third when Vettel's penalty was taken into consideration), but was demoted five places to eighth after a gearbox change. [14] An error in strategy meant that Massa failed to make it through Q1. In an interview to Rede Globo, the driver said that he and the team thought the initial time posted was enough to qualify for the second session, and refrained from recording additional times to spare the car's engine. However, this was not the case, and Massa was left in 16th place. [15] [16]
Off the line, there was a clean getaway by all drivers, apart from Robert Kubica, who was forced to retire from engine problems after the first lap. Williams' Nico Rosberg moved from fourth on the grid to lead into the first corner, followed by Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso, who had used his KERS system to good effect to move up from tenth; Jenson Button made a poor start in his Brawn and was down to fourth. Heading into turn five, McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen ran wide onto the track's 'marbles' (fragments of degraded tyre rubber), and spun into early retirement. [17] [18]
After a slow start, Button caught and passed the heavier Renault of Alonso at turn thirteen for third place and set off after Trulli. Rosberg and Trulli stopped for fuel earlier than Button, who was able to pass them during the first round of pit stops and take the lead. Evidence of rain was barely noticed, but Kimi Räikkönen pitted to switch from dry to full wet tyres. However, his gamble did not pay off, as rain did not come as early as predicted, and he was forced to slow down significantly to delay the rapid wear of the wet tyres. (Without standing water on the track, wet tyres will not maintain structural integrity at high speeds, and will rapidly degrade over the course of a few laps.) [17] [18]
By lap 19, rain had started to fall and most of the drivers pitted for wet tyres. However, at this stage there was no standing water on the track, and so the wet tyres started to wear out very quickly. Timo Glock had been using intermediate tyres which were better suited to the conditions and moved rapidly up to third place. The other drivers followed this example and switched to intermediate tyres as well, which the majority of the field stayed on until lap 31 when the downpour finally reached the whole track, and drivers pitted for wet tyres once again. [17] [18] The conditions were proven to be so treacherous that Sebastien Buemi and Sebastian Vettel (who was in 8th position) had both spun out into retirement by lap 31 despite them being on the wet tyres right before the race was stopped.
Due to the torrential rain, the race was stopped on the 33rd lap [5] and the results were taken from the classification at the end of lap 31 (the penultimate fully completed in accordance with sporting regulation 42.8 [19] ). Half-points were subsequently awarded to the top eight. The race was the fifth out of six races in Formula One to be abandoned before 75% distance: the others were the 1975 Spanish and Austrian Grands Prix, the 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, the 1991 Australian Grand Prix and the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. Button took his second victory of the season and five points, and it was the first time he had won back to back victories and his third career victory. The victory also meant that Brawn GP became the first team since Alfa Romeo in 1950 to win their first two Grands Prix. [7] Nick Heidfeld was classified second ahead of Toyota's Timo Glock. [18] Heidfeld was the first driver to take a podium position with a KERS-equipped car.
The drivers generally backed the decision to abandon the race, citing diminishing visibility (due to the later starting time) as well as the heavy rain. [20]
"The visibility is nothing, [we] could have a serious accident if we restart." — Fernando Alonso before the race was officially called off [7]
"It was impossible to drive out there, it was very, very dangerous. It's the most dangerous conditions I have ever raced in," — Lewis Hamilton
"It was way too wet out there and the decision to call it off was correct. I would obviously love to have the 10 points, but this is the best we could have done, I think, and realistically it was the right thing to do. I'm sure some people will say 'we didn't see the whole race and it's disappointing' but you have to think about the safety sometimes. When the safety car is pulling away at 20 seconds a lap, you know that it's too wet for an F1 car." — Jenson Button
"It's dark now at seven o'clock so it was the right call not to make the re-start," — Mark Webber (a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association)
Officials in Malaysia also confirmed that they would review the start time of the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix. Mokhzani Mahathir, chairman of the Sepang International Circuit, said he consulted Bernie Ecclestone after the race and they had agreed to look at the timings. However, Ecclestone revealed he had no qualms about the schedule, stating:
"I just have regrets about the rain, I don't see anything wrong with the start time, we just didn't know about the rain." [21]
Mokhzani suggested the possibility of implementing a lighting system (similar to that used in the Singapore Grand Prix) to illuminate the circuit in future races. [21]
Cars that used the KERS system are marked with "‡"
Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Grid |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:35.058 | 1:33.784 | 1:35.181 | 1 |
2 | 9 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 1:34.745 | 1:33.990 | 1:35.273 | 2 |
3 | 15 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 1:34.935 | 1:34.276 | 1:35.518 | 13 |
4 | 23 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes | 1:34.681 | 1:34.387 | 1:35.651 | 8 |
5 | 10 | Timo Glock | Toyota | 1:34.907 | 1:34.258 | 1:35.690 | 3 |
6 | 16 | Nico Rosberg | Williams-Toyota | 1:35.083 | 1:34.547 | 1:35.750 | 4 |
7 | 14 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 1:35.027 | 1:34.222 | 1:35.797 | 5 |
8 | 5 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 1:35.166 | 1:34.562 | 1:36.106 | 6 |
9 | 4‡ | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 1:35.476 | 1:34.456 | 1:36.170 | 7 |
10 | 7‡ | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 1:35.260 | 1:34.706 | 1:37.659 | 9 |
11 | 6‡ | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 1:35.110 | 1:34.769 | 10 | |
12 | 17 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota | 1:35.341 | 1:34.788 | 11 | |
13 | 1‡ | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:35.280 | 1:34.905 | 12 | |
14 | 2‡ | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren-Mercedes | 1:35.023 | 1:34.924 | 14 | |
15 | 11 | Sébastien Bourdais | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:35.507 | 1:35.431 | 15 | |
16 | 3‡ | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 1:35.642 | 16 | ||
17 | 8‡ | Nelson Piquet Jr. | Renault | 1:35.708 | 17 | ||
18 | 21 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Force India-Mercedes | 1:35.908 | 18 | ||
19 | 20 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 1:35.951 | 19 | ||
20 | 12 | Sébastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 1:36.107 | 20 | ||
Source: [22] |
Pos | No | Driver | Constructor | Laps | Time/Retired | Grid | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 22 | Jenson Button | Brawn-Mercedes | 31 | 55:30.622 | 1 | 5 |
2 | 6‡ | Nick Heidfeld | BMW Sauber | 31 | + 22.722 | 10 | 4 |
3 | 10 | Timo Glock | Toyota | 31 | + 23.513 | 3 | 3 |
4 | 9 | Jarno Trulli | Toyota | 31 | + 46.173 | 2 | 2.5 |
5 | 23 | Rubens Barrichello | Brawn-Mercedes | 31 | + 47.360 | 8 | 2 |
6 | 14 | Mark Webber | Red Bull-Renault | 31 | + 52.333 | 5 | 1.5 |
7 | 1‡ | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren-Mercedes | 31 | + 1:00.733 | 12 | 1 |
8 | 16 | Nico Rosberg | Williams-Toyota | 31 | + 1:11.576 | 4 | 0.5 |
9 | 3‡ | Felipe Massa | Ferrari | 31 | + 1:16.932 | 16 | |
10 | 11 | Sébastien Bourdais | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 31 | + 1:42.164 | 15 | |
11 | 7‡ | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 31 | + 1:49.422 | 9 | |
12 | 17 | Kazuki Nakajima | Williams-Toyota | 31 | + 1:56.130 | 11 | |
13 | 8‡ | Nelson Piquet Jr. | Renault | 31 | + 1:56.713 | 17 | |
14 | 4‡ | Kimi Räikkönen | Ferrari | 31 | + 2:22.841 | 7 | |
15 | 15 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull-Renault | 30 | Spun Off | 13 | |
16 | 12 | Sébastien Buemi | Toro Rosso-Ferrari | 30 | Spun Off | 20 | |
17 | 20 | Adrian Sutil | Force India-Mercedes | 30 | + 1 Lap | 19 | |
18 | 21 | Giancarlo Fisichella | Force India-Mercedes | 29 | Spun Off | 18 | |
Ret | 5 | Robert Kubica | BMW Sauber | 1 | Engine | 6 | |
Ret | 2‡ | Heikki Kovalainen | McLaren-Mercedes | 0 | Spun Off | 14 | |
Source: [24] |
|
|
The 2004 Malaysian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 21 March 2004 at the Sepang International Circuit. It was Race 2 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship. The race was won by Michael Schumacher for Ferrari. This was also the first podium for future World Champion Jenson Button, who finished in 3rd place.
The 2004 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 August 2004, at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, near the village of Francorchamps, Wallonia, Belgium. It was Race 14 of 18 in the 2004 FIA Formula One World Championship.
The 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 63rd season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 60th Formula One World Championship which was contested over 17 events commencing with the Australian Grand Prix on 29 March and ending with the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 1 November.
The 2007 Chinese Grand Prix was the sixteenth race of the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championship. It was held on 7 October 2007 at Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, China. The race was won by Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen with Fernando Alonso finishing second and Felipe Massa finishing third. Championship leader Lewis Hamilton suffered the first race retirement of his Formula One career after going off at a wet pit entrance on worn tyres left him stuck in the gravel. Räikkönen's win marked the 200th Grand Prix victory for Scuderia Ferrari.
The 2008 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 6 April 2008 at the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the third race of the 2008 Formula One World Championship. Felipe Massa for the Ferrari team won the 57-lap race. Kimi Räikkönen was second in the other Ferrari, and BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica was third.
The 2008 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 25 May 2008 at the Circuit de Monaco; contested over 76 laps, it was the sixth race of the 2008 Formula One World Championship. The race was won by the season's eventual Drivers' Champion, Lewis Hamilton, for the McLaren team. BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica finished second, and Felipe Massa, who started from pole position, was third in a Ferrari.
The 2009 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 29 March 2009 at the Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. It was the first race of the 2009 Formula One World Championship. The 58-lap race was won by Jenson Button for the Brawn GP team after starting from pole position. Rubens Barrichello finished second in the other Brawn GP car, with Jarno Trulli third for Toyota.
The 2009 Japanese Grand Prix was the fifteenth round of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship. The race was held at the Suzuka Circuit on 4 October 2009.
The 2009 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Silverstone Circuit in Northamptonshire, United Kingdom, on 21 June 2009. The 60-lap race was the eighth round of the 2009 Formula One season. It was scheduled to be the last British Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, before the event moved to Donington Park for the 2010 season. However, due to Donington being unable to raise the required funds the event returned to Silverstone again in 2010, on a new layout. The race was won by Sebastian Vettel, who started on pole, with championship leader Jenson Button finishing in sixth position.
The 2009 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race that was held on 24 May 2009 at the Circuit de Monaco, in Monaco. The race, which was contested over 78 laps, was the sixth round of the 2009 Formula One season. It was won by Brawn GP driver Jenson Button, with his teammate Rubens Barrichello second, and Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen third.
The 2009 Chinese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 19 April 2009 at the Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai, People's Republic of China. It was the third race of the 2009 Formula One season, a change from previous years, when it took place towards the end of the season.
The 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 26 April 2009 at the Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain. It was the sixth Bahrain Grand Prix and fourth race of the 2009 Formula One season.
The 2009 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace, São Paulo, Brazil on 18 October 2009. It was the sixteenth race of the 2009 Formula One World Championship.
The 2009 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 10 May 2009 at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain. It was the fifth race of the 2009 Formula One season.
The 2009 Turkish Grand Prix was the seventh motor race of the 2009 FIA Formula One World Championship. It was held on 7 June 2009 at Istanbul Park, Tuzla, Turkey.
The 2009 German Grand Prix was the ninth race of the 2009 Formula One season. It was held on 12 July 2009 at the Nürburgring in Nürburg, Germany; the earliest German Grand Prix on the calendar, since 1926.
The 2009 European Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 23 August 2009 at the Valencia Street Circuit in Valencia, Spain. It was the 11th race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was contested over 57 laps, an overall race distance of 308.9 km (191.9 mi). The winner was Rubens Barrichello for Brawn GP after starting from third on the grid. The 2008 world champion Lewis Hamilton finished second for McLaren-Mercedes, while 2007 world champion Kimi Räikkönen finished in third for Ferrari. Championship leader Jenson Button finished in seventh for the second race in a row, but extended his lead as Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel both failed to score.
The 2009 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 30 August 2009 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, near the village of Francorchamps, Wallonia, Belgium. It was the 12th race of the 2009 Formula One season. The race was contested over 44 laps, with an overall race distance of 308.052 km (191.415 mi). The race was won by Kimi Räikkönen of Ferrari after starting from sixth on the grid. Giancarlo Fisichella of Force India came second after starting from the team's first and only pole position. Sebastian Vettel came third after starting from eighth on the grid.
The 2009 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 13 September 2009 at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Monza, Italy. It was the 13th race of the 2009 Formula One World Championship. It was contested over 53 laps.
The 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix was the third round in the 2010 Formula One season. It was held in Sepang, Malaysia on 4 April 2010.
{{cite journal}}
: Cite journal requires |journal=
(help)If the race cannot be resumed the results will be taken at the end of the penultimate lap before the lap during which the signal to suspend the race was given.