2015 Malaysian F1 GP: Ferrari Hits Back As Vettel Takes Victory At Sepang

Sebastian Vettel silenced anyone who doubted the wisdom of his move to Ferrari as the German took his first win for the Scuderia at the Malaysian Grand Prix and the team's first since Spain in 2013.

Ferrari out-paced, out-raced and out-foxed an oddly at-sea Mercedes team and even dragged Kimi Raikkonen home in fourth after a first lap incident.

Vettel's former teammate Daniel Ricciardo limped home tenth, not only behind teammate Kvyat but also both Toro Rossos.

The midfield battle was furious, as furious as Lewis Hamilton as tempers frayed between driver and pitwall.

PRACTICE AND QUALIFYING

The Ferraris raised a cheer as they knocked a couple of tenths out of the gaping chasm between Mercedes and the rest.

More cheers came with the return of Fernando Alonso and The Curious Case of the Catalan Crash got even curiouser as he gave a different story to his team. And Marussia got their car out on track.

Qualifying saw Ferrari get it wrong for Raikkonen and he went out in Q2, in eleventh before the rain fell, ending Raikkonen's chance to make amends and delaying Q3.

Vettel pulled a blinder for a front row start with Hamilton, a disconsolate Rosberg third.

Daniel Ricciardo was pleased with his fourth position.

RACE

Hamilton got a terrific start and streaked away while Rosberg and Vettel battled into turn one. The Ferrari driver prevailed with a squeeze against the wall and a bump at that first corner.

Daniil Kvyat gave Daniel Ricciardo a hard time and Pastor Maldonado again had a first corner incident, this time with the returning Valtteri Bottas. He limped back to the pits with a puncture.

Hulkenberg got a great start too, finding himself seventh before long, while Bottas went backwards to thirteenth.

Ericsson and Verstappen made contact, with Ericsson barging past the Toro Rosso. The other Sauber of Nasr featured at the end of the lap, running into the back of Kimi Raikkonen and puncturing the left rear.