Formula 1 2017 15 2017-10-01 2017-10-01 https://r2.thesportsdb.com/images/media/event/poster/iz9pty1509615849.jpg The 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix (formally known as the 2017 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race that was held on 1 October 2017 at the Sepang International Circuit in Selangor, Malaysia. The race marked the thirty-seventh running of the Malaysian Grand Prix, and the nineteenth time that the race has been run as a World Championship event since the championship's inception in 1950, every time at the Sepang International Circuit. This was also the last Malaysian Grand Prix, as the race had not been contracted for the 2018 season and beyond. Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton entered the round with a twenty-eight-point lead over Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel in the World Drivers' Championship. Hamilton's team-mate Valtteri Bottas was third, a further twenty-three points behind. In the World Constructors' Championship, Mercedes held a lead of one hundred and two points over Ferrari, with Red Bull Racing a further one hundred and forty-three points behind in third place. Report Background Driver changes Reigning GP2 Series champion Pierre Gasly made his Formula One début, replacing Daniil Kvyat at Toro Rosso. The first free practice session saw several substitute drivers take part, including Sergey Sirotkin filling in for Nico Hülkenberg at Renault, Charles Leclerc replacing Marcus Ericsson at Sauber, Antonio Giovinazzi replacing Kevin Magnussen at Haas, and Sean Gelael taking the place of Carlos Sainz, Jr. at Toro Rosso. Free practice The second free practice was red-flagged after Romain Grosjean crashed heavily at Turn 14. Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Räikkönen dislodged a drain cover embedded in the apex of Turn 13. Grosjean, the next driver through, struck the cover which sliced into his rear wheel. This caused the rear tyre to immediately deflate as Grosjean put load onto the steering wheel, causing him to spin into the barrier on the outside of Turn 14. The third practice session was concluded with Kimi Räikkönen fastest but his teammate Sebastian Vettel had an engine problem that required a replacement. Qualifying Sebastian Vettel failed to set a time in Q1 as his replacement engine did not run properly meaning that he would start last on the grid. Championship leader Lewis Hamilton took pole position with a time of 1:30.076, ahead of Kimi Raikkonen and Max Verstappen. 522340