2013 Malaysian Grand Prix

2013 Malaysian Grand Prix
Race 2 of 19 in the 2013 Formula One World Championship ← Previous race Next race →
Race details[1][2]
Date	24 March 2013
Official name	2013 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix
Location	Sepang International Circuit, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
Course	Permanent racing facility
Course length	5.543 km (3.444 miles)
Distance	56 laps, 310.408 km (192.879 miles)
Weather	Light rain clearing to cloudy and dry
Attendance	90,000
Pole position
Driver	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault
Time	1:49.674
Fastest lap
Driver	Sergio Pérez	McLaren-Mercedes
Time	1:39.199 on lap 56
Podium
First	Sebastian Vettel	Red Bull-Renault
Second	Mark Webber	Red Bull-Renault
Third	Lewis Hamilton	Mercedes
Lap leaders

The 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix (officially the 2013 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Selangor on 24 March 2013 before 90,000 people. It was the second round of the 2013 Formula One World Championship, and the 15th Formula One Malaysian race. Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel won the 56-lap race from pole position. His teammate Mark Webber finished second, and Lewis Hamilton was third for the Mercedes team.

The race began on a damp track after an earlier downpour, with Vettel in pole position alongside Felipe Massa of Ferrari; Massa's teammate Fernando Alonso, and Hamilton began from third and fourth. Webber moved from fifth to second by the second lap, and took the lead after Vettel made his first pit stop for dry slick tyres on lap five. He maintained that position through most of the race until Vettel ignored a team order from Red Bull to lower the performance of his engine, overtaking Webber for the lead on the 46th lap (this event is known as Multi-21). Vettel maintained the lead for the final nine laps for his first victory of the season and the 27th of his career. Hamilton finished 12 seconds behind, and his teammate Nico Rosberg was told by Mercedes team principal Ross Brawn to hold fourth place.

Vettel apologised to the Red Bull team and Webber for ignoring the order to hold position; Red Bull did not punish or reprimand him because his attorneys threatened legal action, and he recanted the apology three weeks later. Webber was asked to present his version of events to Red Bull founder and co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Vettel's victory placed him in the lead of the World Drivers' Championship, after Lotus driver Kimi Räikkönen finished seventh. Red Bull took the lead of the World Constructors' Championship from Ferrari, with 17 races left in the season.