Malaysian grand prix

[Iliana]

The drivers have arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the 2nd round of the calendar! Latest news from F1 Live

Sauber eyeing Villeneuve options?

Test drives linked to Sauber race seat

After just one race of a two-year contract with the Sauber Petronas team, Jacques Villeneuve is under pressure to perform with Autosport reporting that the 1997 World Champion could be replaced.

The magazine suggests that Anthony Davison, Antonio Pizzonia and Alex Wurz could land the race seat at Sauber, but the three test drivers are under contract to BAR, Williams and McLaren respectively and Sauber would have to compensate any of those teams if they were to make a bid for their test driver.

Sauber no longer enjoy Red Bull backing and do not enjoy the same budget as in previous seasons. In 2005 the team elected to build its own gearbox rather than take a Ferrari unit due to budgetary restraints. The team are also eligible to run a third car in Friday practice but do not do so, again due to budgetary reasons.

It therefore seems unlikely, especially at this early stage, that Sauber are seriously considering a replacement for Villeneuve, as he too would require compensation.

Earl ALEXANDER

[Iliana]

Saturday Qualifying

Pos No Driver Team Laps Time/Retired

1 5 Fernando Alonso Renault 1:32.582

2 16 Jarno Trulli Toyota 1:32.672

3 6 Giancarlo Fisichella Renault 1:32.765

4 9 Kimi Räikkönen McLaren-Mercedes 1:32.839

5 17 Ralf Schumacher Toyota 1:33.106

6 7 Mark Webber Williams-BMW 1:33.204

7 10 Juan Pablo Montoya McLaren-Mercedes 1:33.333

8 8 Nick Heidfeld Williams-BMW 1:33.464

9 3 Jenson Button BAR-Honda 1:33.616

10 15 Christian Klien Red Bull Racing 1:33.724

11 14 David Coulthard Red Bull Racing 1:33.809

12 1 Michael Schumacher Ferrari 1:34.072

13 12 Felipe Massa Sauber-Petronas 1:34.151

14 2 Rubens Barrichello Ferrari 1:34.162

15 4 Anthony Davidson BAR-Honda 1:34.866

16 11 Jacques Villeneuve Sauber-Petronas 1:34.887

17 19 Narain Karthikeyan Jordan-Toyota 1:37.806

18 18 Tiago Monteiro Jordan-Toyota 1:37.856

19 20 Patrick Friesacher Minardi-Cosworth 1:39.268

20 21 Christijan Albers Minardi-Cosworth 1:40.432

[Santos]

1. Fernando Alonso ESP Renault 1:31:33,736

2. Jarno Trulli ITA Toyota + 24,327

3. Nick Heidfeld GER Williams-BMW 32,188

4. Juan Pablo Montoya COL McLaren 41,631

5. Ralf Schumacher GER Toyota 51,854

6. David Coulthard GBR Red Bull 1:12,543 :tup:

7. Michael Schumacher GER Ferrari 1:19,988

8. Christian Klien AUT Red Bull 1:20,835 :tup:

9. Kimi Raikkonen FIN McLaren 1:21,580

10. Felipe Massa BRA Sauber 1 lap

11. Narain Karthikeyan IND Jordan 2 laps

12. Tiago Monteiro POR Jordan 3 laps

13. Christijan Albers NED Minardi 4 laps

out: Friesacher, Button, Davidson, Villeneuve, Fisichella, Webber, Barrichello

Standings:

1. Fernando Alonso ESP Renault 16

2. Giancarlo Fisichella ITA Renault 10

3. Jarno Trulli ITA Toyota 8

. Rubens Barrichello BRA Ferrari 8

. Juan Pablo Montoya COL McLaren 8

. David Coulthard GBR Red Bull 8

7. Nick Heidfeld GER Williams-BMW 6

8. Mark Webber AUS Williams 4

. Ralf Schumacher GER Toyota 4

10. Christian Klien AUT Red Bull 3

11. Michael Schumacher GER Ferrari 2

12. Kimi Raikkonen FIN McLaren 1

1. Renault 26

2. Toyota 12

3. Red Bull Racing 11 :tup:

4. Ferrari 10

. Williams-BMW 10

6. McLaren-Mercedes 9

[Iliana]

from F1 Racing

Fernando Alonso dominated the Malaysian Grand Prix to win ahead of a strong drive from Toyota's Jarno Trulli and Williams' Nick Heidfeld. The oppressive heat in Malaysia caused a few to lose their cool in an incident-filled race.

Fernando Alonso kept the lead narrowly from Trulli and Fisichella at the first corner with Webber maintaining fourth ahead of Ralf Schumacher. A little further down the field Nick Heidfeld pulled off a brave overtaking move on David Coulthard in the high-speed turns four and five.

At the end of the first lap Jenson Button nipped past Kimi Raikkonen down under braking for the first corner. His effort was in vain however as his engine expired under a trickle of white smoke spilled from the back of his BAR Honda. Meanwhile as Button limped around the circuit Anthony Davidson retired from the race as almost simultaneously his engine blew up too.

On lap six Alonso had built four seconds over Trulli and a further second over Fisichella. Webber was fourth, Ralf Schumacher fifth and Kimi Raikkonen back up to sixth.

The order remained static until the first round of pit stops as Alonso took on fuel on lap twenty-one. As the leading pack made their first pit stops, Kimi Raikkonen stayed out on track and led the race temporarily, setting the fastest lap before pitting on lap twenty-four.

Alonso continued to lead Trulli and Fisichella while Raikkonen was up to fourth having jumped Ralf Schumacher and Mark Webber in the pit stops. Disaster struck soon enough for Raikkonen as he suffered a rear right tyre failure and wrestled his car back to the pit lane to take on a new tyre.

His promising run scotched, Raikkonen rejoined the race in fourteenth.

On lap thirty-two Webber and Ralf Schumacher had closed right in on a struggling Fisichella. As Webber struggled to find a way past Fisichella Ralf Schumacher seized his opportunity and dived down the inside of the final corner. The two drivers made contact and Webber managed to emerge in the lead. Meanwhile the scrap had allowed Nick Heidfeld to pass the Toyota.

Ralf retook the position from Heidfeld in turn one, but the Williams driver barged back past Ralf just a couple of corners later. Ahead of Webber and Heidfeld Fernandlo Alonso continued to lead Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella.

Webber closed in on Fisichella and tried an ambitious move on the Italian around the outside of the final corner. Fisichella did not find enough room on the inside and the two cars came into contact, the Renault flipping over the front of the Williams as both drivers retired in frustration.

The remainder of the race was relatively calm. Alonso cruised home to his second career victory and his second podium finish of the 2005 season. The Spaniard is now in the lead of the drivers' championship. His former team mate Jarno Trulli brought Toyota their first ever podium finish with second place ahead of BMW WilliamsF1 driver Nick Heidfeld who equalled his career best finish in third.

Montoya brought his McLaren home in fourth ahead of the second Toyota of Ralf Schumacher spelling a great weekend for the cologne-based team. David Coulthard continued Red Bull's great start to the season with sixth place ahead of Michael Schumacher and Christian Klien claimed the final point, fending off a late charge from Kimi Raikkonen.

In the championship Renault's two victories has given them a clear lead on twenty-six points. Toyota's strong race in Sepang has propelled them into second place with twelve points while Red Bull's strong race sees them third. Ferrari sit a lowly fourth with ten points along with BMW Williams and McLaren the only other team to score is sixth with nine points.

[The2ndMouse]

I think that whoever saw it (I saw a GP after a loooong time), was as surprised as I was with

- The state the tyres were at after the end of the race (If anyone has a foto post it..... amazing! )

- How tired the pilots were

- The Old Ferrari (What Ferrari? ... they were nowhere to be seen! )

[Iliana]

- The state the tyres were at after the end of the race (If anyone has a foto post it..... amazing! )

[Iliana]

- How tired the pilots were

and even the winner

[Iliana]

- The Old Ferrari (What Ferrari? ... they were nowhere to be seen! )

Sunday evening’s post-race briefing was rather a long one; this was not a surprise. Owing to the extended meeting, Michael left much later than expected after the season’s second race. He spoke at length and in detail to the engineers following his hard-fought seventh place at Sepang. The race demonstrated that “we were not able to be competitive and have to improve in all areas.”

Michael also observed that “after two races that have not gone well, it can be said that the world championship situation is a difficult one, but it is certainly not a hopeless one.”

The reigning World Champion even had to battle hard to earn that seventh spot but the Ferrari driver saw some reason to be positive. “Sepang has always been one of the hardest races of the year for us.”

This sounds a little strange given the good results the Prancing Horse has enjoyed on the Malaysian circuit in the past. “Notwithstanding everything, this is how things are, even if it is hard to understand from the outside. We have always had problems here though the results have often gone our way. So, we know how to take this race and this result. I am also convinced that we will win races this year. Didn’t I always say last year that situations can change in an instant? So, now it has happened but things can turn in our favour once again."

"The great thing, and we all know it, is that our team has all the attributes to do this. Now we have to work hard and we know what he have to apply ourselves to. I don’t expect any big change in the next race in Bahrain but I am certain that at Imola we will do fairly well.”

Michael has enough experience to realise that in every season there are difficult times to overcome.

“I have often been in situations where I have no chance in a race and then win the one after. We are a well-balanced team and we know that the season has to be considered as a whole. The championship is longer than ever and so lots of things can happen. Now we have to try our new car and then see how things work out.”

The champion will be driving the F2005 for the first time at Mugello on Wednesday. The new vehicle should replace the F2004 M soon. The decision will be taken this week whether to debut the new car in Bahrain.

“I have learnt a lot about the car from our test driver Luca Badoer. Now I am just pleased to be able to try it out in person. The first time is always exciting.”

Source Ferrari Press