Hamilton takes pole in Sepang as Alonso settles at the back // Mercedes lock out the front row ahead of Red Bull
Published by Christine
Fernando Alonso made a brief appearance during qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix, heading out for a single flying lap during the first session and settling for the slowest time. The McLaren driver has a 45 place grid penalty due to engine component changes, so there was little point in aiming for pole position. Jenson Button, meanwhile, in the other McLaren, got into the top ten, and ended up ninth overall.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton took a relatively easy pole position, followed by Nico Rosberg who struggled on his first attempt in Q3, and ran wide on his final flying lap but had enough in hand to get that second spot on the front row. Behind, it was very much team by team, Red Bull with Verstappen getting ahead of Ricciardio, followed by Ferrari and then Force India with Pérez beating Hülkenberg to seventh place.
The only drivers not next to their teammates, in fact, were at McLaren, and at Renault, with Kevin Magnussen taking 14th place, and Jolyon Palmer disappointed in 19th.
