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 Malaysia 22-24 Mar 2013Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Race Distance: 56 laps, 310.408 km The Malaysian Grand Prix is held at the spectacular Sepang International Circuit. The first of designer Hermann Tilke's F1 tracks, this course has set the standard for new era F1 venues. With two massive straightaways leading to the very difficult downhill decreasing radius double apex turn 1, there tends to seem like there's more passing opportunity than there actually is. Many passes on the straights tend to be given back in the T1-T2 complex. In 2012, heavy rain shaped the race early on. As the track dried, it was Alonso in an uncompetitive Ferrari that too the lead, holding off an amazing drive by Perez who placed 2nd for Sauber. Hamilton placed 3rd. The rain came as Q2 was ending, creating a bit of a toss-up for the final run for pole. Coming out on top, further cementing his position as the best qualifier in recent times, is Vettel. Out qualifying his Ferrari teammate for the 2nd time in 2 races is Massa who will start on the front row in 2nd, ahead of Alonso in 3rd. Hamilton and Webber round out the top 5. The top 10 qualifiers in Malaysia: VET MAS ALO HAM WEB ROS RAI* BUT SUT PER GRO * 3-spot penalty for impeding The race began on a drying track after a pre-race shower forced everyone to start on intermediate rain tires. Contact on lap 1 damaged Alonso's front wing, but his decision to stay out in hopes of lasting long enough with the damage to change to dry tires ended his race when just after pit-in his wing folded leaving him out. With Alonso out, and Massa dropping back, the race fell to the 2 Red Bulls and 2 Mercedes cars to duke it out. After the last stop it seemed that Red Bull would cruise to a 1-2 Webber over Vettel, and a 3-4 Hamilton over Rosberg finish. But Vettel, against team orders, took the race to an unsuspecting Webber to pass for the lead. Meanwhile Rosberg, despite complaints on the radio, obeyed his team and stayed behind Hamilton. Vettel's win gives him the championship lead and resulted in one of the most awkward post-race interviews in recent memory.
Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang International Circuit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 
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