2007 Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix

[Jack_Bauer]

This weekend sees the second race on the 2007 F1 calendar, with the circus moving to the Sepang Circuit on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur.

On the back of their impressive showing in Melbourne Ferrari go into the weekend as the team to beat. There are still a few question marks over the Scuderia's form going into the weekend though. The first is reliability. In Melbourne they suffered a gearbox failure on Massa's car which will be a worry for some, but more potentially troublesome are the problems with Kimi Raikkonen's engine. It developed a slight water leak in the latter stages of the last GP, causing the engine to overheat slightly. Ferrari will need to take the decision either to take a 10 place grid penalty by replacing the engine, or risk running the engine with it's supposed problems. Prudence would suggest the former option, as even from the middle of the pack the car should still have the pace to make it to the podium, and if you could pick one Grand Prix to have cooling problems then Malaysia would be last on the list as it is the most gruelling race for both car and driver due to the sweltering heat and humidity.

The second question mark over Ferrari's form is the "movable floor" debate. After Ron Dennis brought the issue to public attention in Australia the FIA have looked into the matter and have issued a clarification to the regulations, meaning that the deflection test in scrutineering will now have to be carried out without the contentious spring mechanism attached. If you haven't been following this one there is a good illustration of the facts HERE. The jury is still out as to how much of an effect this will have on Ferrari (and BMW-Sauber's) overall performance. The device is believed to facilitate a higher top-speed on the straights, and the Sepang Circuit has a couple of very long, fast straights so perhaps it will shave a tenth or two off their optimum laptime. If so then it should move McLaren a good bit closer to their big rivals and we could see Alonso and Hamilton breathing down the back of Ferrari's necks.

The other controversy which looks to be coming to a head at Sepang is happening at the other end of the grid. It appears Spyker have lodged a formal appeal to the stewards over the legality of the Torro Rosso "customer car" chassis. Speed TV are reporting that the race stewards have now confiscated a number of parts from the STR pit for further inspection (Article HERE). While it is unlikely that this will prevent STR from racing this weekend, it certainly casts a dark shadow over the team and they could well be in hot water in the weeks to come.

[Coventrysucks]

Yeah! Go Kimi!

Err... Hang on..

Go Alon... no...

Yeah! Go Hamilton!

I say, wouldn't it be humourous if McLaren failed the new bodywork testing?

I bet they've been testing and retesting to make sure it passes.

Still, it was a good move by Ron:

RD: Hey, FIA!
FIA:Oh no, not him again... Hi Ron!
RD: Can we have a flexible floor, like this?
FIA: No; that would break the rules.
Ferrari: Merda!
BMW: Scheiße!
RD: LoL!

Here's hoping for a wet race; it might actually be interesting!

[Zytek_Fan]

I say BMW FTW!

No matter what the FIA does to Toro Rosso, Spyker is going to stay a backmarker team. They need to invest more money if they want success...

[ScionDriver]

Should be a good race with some good story lines. I read Ferrari hasen't changed the overall layout of the car for Malaysia so it will be interesting to see if McLaren or BMW can catch up.

[fpv_gtho]

According to Massa, Ferrari will be running an unmodified car from Melbourne, in both the sense of the moving floor and any updated parts.

He's not that good at the mind games, is he....

[Kitdy]

Last year, if IIRC was a great race at Sepang and I hope this one will be two. I think it is a great circuit and with the heat a real test of a driver's endurance later on in the race. Hopefully nobody will run away with it like Kimi did in Melbourne but I think that Massa will have a crack at it especially with Kimi's enginme troubles. If they do drop Kimi ten places with an engine change, I expect to see him charge back from 11th (I expect him to get pole) and cut like a hot knife through butter to get back to the front runners - that may make for some nice racing.

[Coventrysucks]

Originally Posted by Kitdy

that may make for some nice racing.

What would make for some nice racing would be for them to replace the cars with some production-based saloons...

In stead you'll have to watch a procession of the pretty colours.

I only follow McLaren these days because of a Magpie like reaction to the shinyness...

[fpv_gtho]

Honda still doing terribly. Some interesting speed out of Williams, RBR and Toyota. Renault too havent got much to show.

[dydzi]

Originally Posted by fpv_gtho

Honda still doing terribly. Some interesting speed out of Williams, RBR and Toyota. Renault too havent got much to show.

honda said it'll improve in europe. spyker still on back of the grid, but a bit better imho

double win for ferrari in malaysia - no doubt about it
i'm just a bit worried ferrari decided not to change kimi's engine, but they know what they're doing

[Jack_Bauer]

Practice Two Times

01 F. Massa Ferrari 1:35.780 34 laps
02 G. Fisichella Renault 1:35.910 36 laps
03 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:36.106 37 laps
04 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:36.160 33 laps
05 N. Rosberg Williams 1:36.523 31 laps
06 A. Wurz Williams 1:36.621 21 laps
07 R. Kubica BMW 1:36.717 18 laps
08 R. Schumacher Toyota 1:36.760 28 laps
09 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:36.797 30 laps
10 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:36.862 25 laps
11 M. Webber Red Bull 1:36.906 18 laps
12 F. Alonso McLaren 1:37.041 26 laps
13 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:37.203 25 laps
14 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:37.282 30 laps
15 J. Button Honda 1:37.578 29 laps
16 J. Trulli Toyota 1:37.712 34 laps
17 V. Liuzzi Toro Rosso 1:37.855 26 laps
18 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:38.334 27 laps
19 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:38.419 28 laps
20 S. Speed Toro Rosso 1:38.650 20 laps
21 R. Barrichello Honda 1:38.713 20 laps
22 C. Albers Spyker F1 1:39.807 23 laps

Massa again on top, but some suprising pace from Renault taking P2 and 3. Apparently they set those times right in the dying seconds of the session, so it seems likely they both went out running on fumes just to grab a few headlines. McLaren looked like they were probably testing longer runs on hard compound tyres so didn't show their hand fully. Williams again look promising which is nice to see.

[Kitdy]

Originally Posted by Coventrysucks

I only follow McLaren these days because of a Magpie like reaction to the shinyness...

Do I smell British pride?

[sicilian973-2]

Ferrari 1-2....bye bye Mclaren and bumb ass Alonso is gonna lose to my ***** Hamilton.Its over.

[Kitdy]

Well, just over 12 hours till the race. What is the weather like in Malaysia?

Kimi is not changing his engine so I have to heavily favour him to win the race. Interesting to see Renault near the top of the times though, isn't it - even if they were on fumes - what a peculiar strategy.

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by sicilian973-2

bumb ass Alonso is gonna lose to my **** Hamilton.Its over.

GROW UP !!

and besides he's not "yours"

[dydzi]

Originally Posted by sicilian973-2

Ferrari 1-2....bye bye Mclaren and bumb ass Alonso is gonna lose to my ***** Hamilton.Its over.

you've ever watched an f1 race? do you have even smalles tracest of knowledge about f1? it's impossible alonso would lose to a newbie, team'll always favour stronger driver - best example in race of australian gp