We're in Kuala Lumpur for the 2nd round of 2014 season!
After a wet qualification, Hamilton took pole position. Vettel the 2013 champion, 2nd and Nico Rosberg, the winner in Australia, 3rd.
Race threatened hugely by rain.
Sergio Perez out of the Grand Prix and would not begin the race due to some problems on his car. Same for the Mexican.
LIGHTS OUT!
Race underway in Sepang!
Hamilton is off to a good start! Vettel tries to get in front of the Brit but Lewis' teammate takes second place.
Two cars go outside of the track, Bianchi and Maldonado, possibly a contact between them.
Later on turn 3, Ricciardo would overtake Vettel for P3.
Incredible move from Hulkenberg to take P5 off Alonso.
We see Kimi slowing down on the track, it's a left rear puncture, apparently caused by Magnussen, it was at a very early spot of his lap but fortunately he makes it to the box to change tyres, which takes him back to P20.
Then, Vettel gets back 3rd place from Ricciardo.
Nice battle for 8th place between Kevin Magnussen and the two Williams. Just a few tenths between them.
5 second stop and go for Jules Bianchi, as a result to the incident with Maldonado on the first lap.
Maldonado gets called into boxes to retire. Again, Lotus experimenting engine problems.
Pit stop for Magnussen, Massa up to P8 and Bottas up to P9.
Box for Alonso, the Spaniard falls to P9.
Box for Ricciardo, he comes out of pit lane just behind Alonso and manages to overtake him on turn 3.
Box for Sebastian Vettel, who was on P3, he comes out on P5 behind Valtteri Bottas. But the champion and his teammate overtake him on that same lap, Alonso overtakes him shortly after.
Box for Nico Rosberg, he falls to P3 and this brings Hulkenberg to P2.
Box for the leader Hamilton on lap 16. Nico Hulkenberg goes past Hamilton into the lead of this Grand Prix.
Hulk gets overtaken by Hamilton that same lap and boxes next lap, falling to 6th.
After all the stops, the top ten is the same as before the stops.
Jean-Eric Vergne abandons this race, he experimented problems on his car's engine.
Superb move from Bottas to overtake the 'Toro Russian' for P9.
Box for Daniil Kvyät, the Russian gets out on P15.
Slow stop in boxes again for Magnussen, the Dane falls into P13, which brings Romain Grosjean's Lotus to 10th place.
Magnussen's detention is followed by Jenson's, and Grosjean's. Button falls to P9. Romain to 13th place.
This puts Kamui Kobayashi's Caterham on P10 but he is overtaken shortly by Kvyät.
Quite a battle we've got from Kamui and Romain, overtaking each other a couple of times.
Box for Vettel, this brings Hulkenberg to P3.
Stop for the leader Hamilton, he makes it to keep the lead after his stop, Hulk just behind him on P2 after Rosberg detention.
Stop for the German Hulkenberg, he claimed to be losing the rear tyres of the car, he comes out on 6th place.
Adrian Sutil's Sauber stops at the beginning of the principal straight, it's a retirement for the German. Yellow flags out.
"It raining a bit on the back of the circuit!" Kimi says to his team, a possible whole turnaround.
Esteban Gutierrez stops for tyres, there's smoke coming out from his car's brakes, it's a retirement for the Mexican, no points for Sauber in this race, both cars abandon.
"...raining in turn 9 and 10." Vettel reports to his pitwall.
Both McLarens box on lap 41 for hard tyres. Bottas up to P8. Romain up to P10.
Daniel Ricciardo! His car is off! It just stopped in the pitlane! It could've been his first podium for real! What a shame! It appeared to be an engine problem but it was just a fail in the adjustment of a tyre, but it still ruins the Aussie's race as he falls to P14.
Räikkönen! Kimi, who was 17th at the beginning of the race, now on P12 just a few seconds away from points.
Problems again for Ricciardo! His front wing breaks and punctures the Daniel's right rear. Shame for the Red Bull driver, last placed on P16. Then, 10 second stop and go for Ricciardo, because of his unsafe release, it just can't get worse for him.
Following Ricciardo's struggles and Massa's stop, Bottas goes up to P6. He boxes in lap 46 and falls to P8, just behind Massa, who is attacking Jenson Button for P6.
Box for Sebastian Vettel, Hulkenberg could possibly be overtaking Seb. No, in the end he doesn't make it, just 2.6 secs behind.
Box for Rosberg, his third one, he easily keeps his P2.
"Box, box." Hamilton to the pits, his third stop. And he will go on to keep his lead.
Fight between old teammates! Kimi threatening Grosjean for P11 in his hunt for points.
Battle for P4 between Hulk and Alonso, just 0.4 behind Hulk. Alonso gets him on the straight!
Hulk gets it back in turn 1!
Alonso gets it back in turn 2!
Hulk tries to get back but fails.
Asides to that, Massa, asked to let Valtteri Bottas pass.
The situation isn't good for the Brazilian but, he wouldn't be in it if he had killed off the battle against Button, would he?
Massa doesn't let Bottas pass.
LAST LAP!
Hamilton winning from start to end! Staggering performance for the Briton.
Checkered flag for Hamilton!
Rosberg Second! 1-2 for Mercedes!
Rosberg remains as championship leader!
In the end, Massa doesn't let Bottas pass, the tension will grow hugely in the team.
Well, Hamilton's second win with Mercedes, second win in the year for the German team.
Also, the first podium of the year for the world champion Vettel in third place.
A Grand Prix painted white and turquoise.
2 races, 2 point finishes for the rookies Magnussen and Kvyät.
Disappointing, the fact that again, rain threatened but never showed up.
See you in one week for the Bahrain Grand Prix! Thanks a lot for supporting this blog!
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