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| From Left to right: Michael Schumacher 3rd, Lewis Hamilton 1st, Jenson Button 2nd |
Even McLaren had their doubts that they could beat Mercedes in qualifying in Sepang on Saturday, but an almost perfect first-run lap by Lewis Hamilton and a great second-run lap from Jenson Button secured the front row for them.
Hamilton lapped in 1m 36.219s despite a late lock-up mistake in the final corner, to take his second successive pole position of the season, while Button pushed through to second with 1m 36.368s to edge out Michael Schumacher, who screwed 1m 36.391 out of his Mercedes on his first run. Neither he nor team mate Nico Rosberg made a second run, however, suggesting that the team need to conserve tyres as the W03 is known to be hard on its rubber in races.
Mark Webber and Kimi Raikkonen both lapped in 1m 36.461s, the Australian doing the time first for Red Bull, and the Finn’s gearbox change yesterday drops his Lotus from an excellent fifth to 10th place for the start.
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| Jenson Button Followed By Fernando Alonso |
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| Michael Schumacher |
Fernando Alonso was ninth in the Ferrari on 1m 37.566s but starts eighth, as Sergio Perez starts ninth after lapping his Sauber 10th in 1m 37.698s.
Pastor Maldonado didn’t help his chances with an off exiting Turn 11 at the start of Q2, in which Raikkonen was fastest on 1m 36.715s. The Venezuelan continued after the gravel had been cleaned from his Williams but failed by a tenth to dislodge Perez and thus ended up 11th on 1m 37.589s.
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| Kimi Raikkonen |
As Mark Webber set the initial pace with 1m 37.172s, Q1 weeded out Jean-Eric Vergne, who had to abort his final run for Toro Rosso and was left 18th on 1m 39.077s. Behind him Heikki Kovalainen pipped Caterham team mate Vitaly Petrov, 1m 39.306s to 1m 39.567s, though the Finn takes a five grid place drop to 24th place for a Safety Car passing transgression in Melbourne.
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| Charles Pic |
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