The 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix was the first race in eighteen years to award half points, after it was red flagged due to horrendous weather conditions.
The second round of the season got underway on a dry track, but dark clouds loomed in the distance as the lights went out at the Sepang International Circuit.
Jenson Button qualified on pole position following Brawn GP’s fairy-tale start to the year in Australia. However, the Englishman had a poor launch from the line and dropped to fourth place in the opening two corners.
Williams driver Nico Rosberg had a clean start and powered into the lead, with Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso moving up to second and third for Toyota and Renault respectively. However, the latter was soon passed by Button as the Brit attempted to claw his way back to the front.
He had more fuel on board in comparison to the leading duo used the extra laps to his advantage, re-claiming first place as he emerged from his lap 18 pit stop. The rain arrived one lap later but it was only a light shower.
Ferrari gambled and switched Kimi Raikkonen to the wet tyres, but there was very little standing water and the strategy failed to pay off. He dropped down the order due to the strategy error. The intermediate tyre proved to be the right choice, as Timo Glock found out.
The German rapidly rose to third place and his fast times prompted the rest of the field to pit for the same Bridgestone rubber. The majority of the field remained on the intermediate tyres until lap 31, when the heavens opened. Visibility soon became a big concern and drivers were struggling to keep the cars on track.
In the end, conditions became so bad that the race was red flagged on lap 33. The classifications were taken from two laps earlier. As the race failed to reach 75% distance (42 laps0, half points were awarded for the first time since the 1991 Australian Grand Prix.
Button won the race, the third victory of his career, from Nick Heidfeld – the first KERS-powered podium – and Glock. Trulli, Rubens Barrichello, Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton and Rosberg completed the top eight.
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| © Wikimedia Commons/eastkandar |
Jenson Button qualified on pole position following Brawn GP’s fairy-tale start to the year in Australia. However, the Englishman had a poor launch from the line and dropped to fourth place in the opening two corners.
Williams driver Nico Rosberg had a clean start and powered into the lead, with Jarno Trulli and Fernando Alonso moving up to second and third for Toyota and Renault respectively. However, the latter was soon passed by Button as the Brit attempted to claw his way back to the front.
Ferrari gambled and switched Kimi Raikkonen to the wet tyres, but there was very little standing water and the strategy failed to pay off. He dropped down the order due to the strategy error. The intermediate tyre proved to be the right choice, as Timo Glock found out.
The German rapidly rose to third place and his fast times prompted the rest of the field to pit for the same Bridgestone rubber. The majority of the field remained on the intermediate tyres until lap 31, when the heavens opened. Visibility soon became a big concern and drivers were struggling to keep the cars on track.
In the end, conditions became so bad that the race was red flagged on lap 33. The classifications were taken from two laps earlier. As the race failed to reach 75% distance (42 laps0, half points were awarded for the first time since the 1991 Australian Grand Prix.
Button won the race, the third victory of his career, from Nick Heidfeld – the first KERS-powered podium – and Glock. Trulli, Rubens Barrichello, Mark Webber, Lewis Hamilton and Rosberg completed the top eight.
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