| 13:50:24
| Welcome to F1-Live.com and our live coverage of the Malaysian Grand Prix qualifying session. |
| 13:55:11
| As ever, qualification is split into three 15 minute sessions, with the slowest six from Q1 and Q2 being eliminated leaving the final ten to go for Pole Position with race fuel on board. |
| 13:57:48
| This morning Lewis Hamilton led the way for McLaren Mercedes with a best time of 1:34.811s, the fastest time of the weekend. Felipe Massa was second fastest in his Ferrari ahead of Fernando Alonso, Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen. |
| 13:58:09
| The battle for the pole will almost certainly be between Ferrari and McLaren while there is plenty of other interest up and down the field as some seem to be struggling and some performing better than they would have hoped for. It’s sunny and hot very again as we get ready for qualifying… |
| 14:00:37
| The first 15 minute qualifying session is now underway. |
| 14:01:07
| The cars head out of the pitlane. |
| 14:02:39
| This is a key session for Button and Barrichello as the Honda is not a good car and they are desperate to show well. Button was 17th and Barrichello 19th this morning. |
| 14:03:11
| This will be tough for Kovalainen too as he missed virtually all of the morning session with a fuel pump problem. |
| 14:03:25
| All but McLaren and BMW Sauber on track. |
| 14:04:10
| Most of the slower teams will run the softer medium compound tyre in qualiying, the front runners the harder tyre in Q1. |
| 14:04:49
| The first lap times coming in and they will be looking to be under 1:36 to make the cut and go through into Q2. The fastest times do not matter, just the slowest six. |
| 14:06:09
| Raikkonen sets the early pace from Massa, Liuzzi and Rosberg. |
| 14:06:50
| Raikkonen and Massa will be safe with those times. |
| 14:07:07
| Hamilton moves fastest and like his rivals is on the harder tyre. |
| 14:07:40
| Webber has moved up the order as Button pits for a set of softer tyres. |
| 14:07:57
| Kubica and Heidfeld have yet to head out. |
| 14:08:19
| Most have completed their first runs as Alonso moves fastest from Hamilton. |
| 14:09:00
| Button is on his second run, but he and Barrichello look set to join Spyker in not going through |
| 14:09:36
| McLaren and Ferrari aside, they will probably all take another run at the end of the session. |
| 14:09:58
| Heidfeld and Kubica head out. |
| 14:10:49
| Button moves sixth. Pretty good as it stands but he will certainly be bumped down the order. |
| 14:11:22
| Barrichello pits for the second time without a lap time. He is obviously unhappy with the Honda. |
| 14:12:04
| Assuming BMW set times, Barrichello, Sutil, Albers, Sato, Wurz and Ralf need to find time. |
| 14:12:45
| Heidfeld moves fifth and should be safe. |
| 14:13:14
| Barrichello is still in the pits. A real disaster. |
| 14:13:37
| Kubica moves fourth. The circuit is packed as they all aim for a second hot lap. |
| 14:13:48
| Barrichello is on track now. |
| 14:14:11
| Both Toyota drivers now in the top ten. |
| 14:14:59
| Sato improves and now Renault are under threat. |
| 14:15:14
| The chequered flag is out. Who will improve? |
| 14:15:49
| Plenty of drivers on a hot lap. |
| 14:16:52
| Davidson pits so he is out. Wurz is struggling and seems to have a gearbox problem. |
| 14:17:25
| So Sutil, Albers, Wurz, Barrichello, Davidson and Speed do not make the cut. |
| 14:18:14
| It wasn't easy for many. Renault had to work hard to make it through and based on that pace, may not be able to make the final session. |
| 14:18:58
| A disappointing showing from Alex Wurz but his second run was hit with a mechanical problem. |
| 14:19:27
| There's a short pause before Q2 gets underway. |
| 14:22:08
| The second qualifying session is now underway. |
| 14:22:57
| Alonso leads the field out of the pits. |
| 14:23:36
| Most have opted straight away to take the softer medium tyres. |
| 14:24:04
| There's some reports of some rain on the way, so they are all keen to get in a lap time. |
| 14:26:00
| Alonso sets the fastest time of the weekend ahead of Massa and Hamilton. |
| 14:26:54
| Raikkonen is fourth as Kubica moves P5. |
| 14:27:53
| So the slowest six so far are Button, Liuzzi, Sato, Coulthard, Fisichella and Webber. They all head back to the pits for fresh tyres and will run again. |
| 14:28:28
| All have pitted. |
| 14:29:40
| Seven minutes remain and they will all run once again. |
| 14:30:33
| The threat of rain is making some want to run sooner than they would like. There is however no rain yet so some will need to play it cool. |
| 14:31:25
| Nico Rosberg is the first to bolt in the Williams Toyota. |
| 14:32:48
| Rosberg starts his timed lap. |
| 14:33:45
| Rosberg may in fact have time for a third run should he need it with over three minutes remaining. |
| 14:33:59
| No one else on track as yet. |
| 14:34:48
| No big gain for Rosberg as Trulli and Ralf Schumacher head out. |
| 14:35:36
| Others now head out for the final run. McLaren and Ferrari remain in the pits as they feel they are safe. The same for Kubica. |
| 14:36:15
| Rosberg, 8th pits. That is the end of his session and he may not have done enough.... |
| 14:37:31
| Fisichella's Renault doesn't seem to have the grip he would like. |
| 14:37:59
| The chequered flag is out and they are all on their final run now. |
| 14:38:31
| Fisichella does not improve as Webber moves ninth. |
| 14:39:08
| So neither Renault has made the cut while Kovalainen ran off track on his final run. |
| 14:40:08
| A disaster for Renault, good news for Toyota who have both Ralf and Trulli though. |
| 14:40:55
| So Liuzzi, Button, Sato, Coulthard, Fisichella, and Kovalainen fail to make it into Q3. |
| 14:41:34
| The surviving ten now add race fuel and some old rubber to the cars for Q3. They will try and burn off some fuel and then take two sets of tyres to go for a time. |
| 14:41:47
| There's a pause ahead of Q3. |
| 14:45:09
| The cars are all lined up at the end of the pits ready to go. |
| 14:45:32
| The session is underway as they all head out in a train to burn some fuel. |
| 14:47:28
| Alonso starts his first timed lap with Hamilton and the field close behind. Alonso is on the medium tyre right now and Hamilton the hard. |
| 14:48:55
| Alonso is pushing hard as he sets the first timed lap. Raikkonen is also on the harder tyre. |
| 14:49:14
| Massa moves second fastest on the medium tyre. |
| 14:49:54
| The lap times don't count a lot at the moment, but it perhaps gives an indication of race pace. |
| 14:50:58
| Webber has pitted and gone back out. |
| 14:51:20
| Rosberg also pitted for new tyres. |
| 14:52:04
| Alonso and Hamilton pit. Raikkonen also pits. |
| 14:52:23
| Heidfeld and Kubica pit. Now it gets serious. |
| 14:52:59
| Rosberg seems to be on the hard tyres which is a surprise. |
| 14:54:31
| Not a good lap from Rosberg who does not improve. |
| 14:54:49
| Alonso, Raikkonen and Hamilton on hots laps. |
| 14:55:18
| Alonso if flying in the McLaren |
| 14:56:18
| Alonso improves and is fastest. Massa remains second ahead of Raikkonen and Hamilton. |
| 14:56:54
| Heidfeld is fifth ahead of Kubica. Webber is in the pits ready to go again. Massa ran wide and lost time. |
| 14:57:16
| They're all heading back to the pits for the final set of tyres. |
| 14:57:30
| Trulli improves and is now seventh. |
| 14:58:13
| The front runners all take tyres and head back out with 2 minutes remaining. |
| 14:59:10
| Webber and Rosberg are now on their final hot lap. |
| 14:59:41
| Raikkonen is on his hot lap. |
| 14:59:49
| Rosberg improves to fifth. |
| 15:00:03
| The chequered flag is out. |
| 15:00:26
| Alonso, Massa and Raikkonen right on it... |
| 15:01:03
| It seems to be close between Alonso, Massa and Raikkonen. |
| 15:01:10
| Raikkonen moves P1 |
| 15:01:17
| Alonso moves fastest. |
| 15:01:41
| Massa moves fastest and probably has the Pole Position. |
| 15:02:32
| So Massa shows his speed as he claims the Pole from Alonso, Raikkonen, Hamilton and Heidfeld. |
| 15:02:57
| Rosberg an impressive sixth ahead of Kubica, Trulli, Ralf and Webber. |
