Finally, after 3 LONG weeks, the second round of the 2007 F1 season is on this weekend:
Here are a couple of updates on the testing done on the Sepang Circuit prior to the race (first time this has happened):
1 - Lap Times
Day 1
Sepang* - 27/03/2007
1 . R. Kubica - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:36.187 (+ 0.000 ) - 92 laps
2 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2007 - 1:36.309 (+ 0.122 ) - 54 laps
3 . A. Wurz - Williams Toyota FW29 - 1:36.612 (+ 0.425 ) - 89 laps
4 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA107 - 1:36.826 (+ 0.639 ) - 82 laps
5 . P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:37.106 (+ 0.919 ) - 60 laps
6 . F. Montagny - Toyota TF107 - 1:37.267 (+ 1.080 ) - 73 laps
7 . T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda SA07 - 1:37.389 (+ 1.202 ) - 72 laps
8 . D. Coulthard - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:37.609 (+ 1.422 ) - 83 laps
9 . N. Piquet - Renault R27 - 1:38.199 (+ 2.012 ) - 32 laps
10 . S. Speed - Toro Rosso Ferrari STR2 - 1:38.503 (+ 2.316 ) - 69 laps.
Day 2
Sepang* - 28/03/2007
1 . K. Raikkonen - Ferrari F2007 - 1:35.268 (+ 0.000 ) - 55 laps
2 . A. Wurz - Williams Toyota FW29 - 1:35.702 (+ 0.434 ) - 108 laps
3 . D. Coulthard - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:35.712 (+ 0.444 ) - 82 laps
4 . R. Schumacher - Toyota TF107 - 1:35.751 (+ 0.483 ) - 79 laps
5 . R. Kubica - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:35.887 (+ 0.619 ) - 108 laps
6 . L. Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:36.115 (+ 0.847 ) - 65 laps
7 . T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda SA07 - 1:36.306 (+ 1.038 ) - 63 laps
8 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA107 - 1:36.563 (+ 1.295 ) - 36 laps
9 . H. Kovalainen - Renault R27 - 1:36.578 (+ 1.310 ) - 81 laps
10 . J. Button - Honda RA107 - 1:36.617 (+ 1.349 ) - 24 laps
11 . A. Davidson - Super Aguri Honda SA07 - 1:37.876 (+ 2.608 ) - 36 laps
12 . S. Speed - Toro Rosso Ferrari STR2 - 1:37.910 (+ 2.642 ) - 36 laps
13 . V. Liuzzi - Toro Rosso Ferrari STR2 - 1:37.971 (+ 2.703 ) - 27 laps.
Day 3
Sepang* - 29/03/2007 ('Overnight rain and then a shower in the afternoon session')
1 . L. Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:35.918 (+ 0.000 ) - 57 laps
2 . M. Webber - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:36.138 (+ 0.220 ) - 62 laps
3 . R. Schumacher - Toyota TF107 - 1:36.700 (+ 0.782 ) - 69 laps
4 . V. Liuzzi - Toro Rosso Ferrari STR2 - 1:36.712 (+ 0.794 ) - 56 laps
5 . F. Massa - Ferrari F2007 - 1:36.947 (+ 1.029 ) - 65 laps
6 . N. Rosberg - Williams Toyota FW29 - 1:37.070 (+ 1.152 ) - 71 laps
7 . J. Button - Honda RA107 - 1:37.472 (+ 1.554 ) - 93 laps
8 . A. Davidson - Super Aguri Honda SA07 - 1:37.606 (+ 1.688 ) - 44 laps
9 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:38.551 (+ 2.633 ) - 35 laps
10 . H. Kovalainen - Renault R27 - 1:39.654 (+ 3.736 ) - 20 laps.
Day 4
Sepang* - 30/03/2007
1 . H. Kovalainen - Renault R27 - 1:35.757 (+ 0.000 ) - 55 laps
2 . F. Massa - Ferrari F2007 - 1:35.808 (+ 0.051 ) - 71 laps
3 . A. Davidson - Super Aguri Honda SA07 - 1:36.787 (+ 1.030 ) - 68 laps
4 . N. Rosberg - Williams Toyota FW29 - 1:37.002 (+ 1.245 ) - 103 laps
5 . F. Montagny - Toyota TF107 - 1:37.206 (+ 1.449 ) - 77 laps
6 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.07 - 1:37.318 (+ 1.561 ) - 69 laps
7 . J. Button - Honda RA107 - 1:37.326 (+ 1.569 ) - 37 laps
8 . M. Webber - Red Bull Renault RB3 - 1:37.338 (+ 1.581 ) - 43 laps
9 . L. Hamilton - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:37.708 (+ 1.951 ) - 42 laps
10 . V. Liuzzi - Toro Rosso Ferrari STR2 - 1:38.542 (+ 2.785 ) - 55 laps
11 . C. Klien - Honda RA107 - 1:39.175 (+ 3.418 ) - 23 laps
12 . P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-22 - 1:39.303 (+ 3.546 ) - 24 laps.
2 - Rain expected this weekend
From F1 Live:
Teams are bracing for a rain affected Malaysian Grand Prix this weekend. After the Sepang test was hit by rain last week, the south east Asian country's Meteorological Department now predicts that more showers and thunderstorms will coincide with round two of the world championship near Kuala Lumpur.
Interestingly, the bad weather is tipped to strike Sepang on the afternoon of all three days of official F1 action, with the mornings expected to be fine. The worst weather is forecast for Saturday, but Sunday is likely to also be affected by rain. Michael Schumacher won a wet Malaysian GP in 2001.
"We have to see how the field adapts to wet conditions," said Sepang boss Datuk Azmi Murad.
"I've experienced some incredible downpours before in Sepang," BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld commented last week. “Here, the rain is far from normal. When the heavens open, everything disappears under water in no time."