Welcome back to ESPNF1's live coverage of the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend. We're set for a fantastic battle for pole position and we'll do our best to bring you the action as it happens over the next 90 minutes.

Mercedes showed some very impressive pace in final practice and Assistant Editor Chris is backing Nico Rosberg for pole. He's currently 5/1 to take the top spot on the grid on a number of betting websites (that's Rosberg not Chris), and has shorter odds than Sebastian Vettel.

After last weekend's front row lockout, however, McLaren are still the favourites, although Hamilton only completed eight laps in final practice after a spin and was ninth fastest.

It is still swelteringly hot in Malaysia with air temperature at 31C and track temp at 47C

Lotus is close to the top teams as well this weekend, although Raikkonen will drop five places on the grid from wherever he qualifies due to a grid penalty. Grosjean qualified third in Australia so he will be one to watch over the next hour or so.

Ferrari on the chances of rain (or lack of) this afternoon: "The large rain cell located in the West is not moving. No rain expected for the beginning of Q1, but rain cells could grow at any time."

Ferrari is probably hoping some rain does fall at some point because in the dry its car is not looking too competitive. Massa especially is looking completely lost with set-up and trying to get the car to behave over the course of a lap.

The big question for Q1 is whether HRT will qualify. They failed to do so last weekend and were hovering around 107% of the fastest time in FP3 so it's going to be close.

The pit lane is open but nobody is heading out. The team's weather channel confirms that rain is not likely in this session, but there is rain 'cells' floating in the area.

Di Resta and the two Marussias hit the track. The Force India is on hard tyres and Glock and Pic are on mediums. There doesn't seem to be much between the two compounds this weekend, possibly as little as 0.2s.

Benjamin says: "The rain is approaching. Interesting to see what will happen for Q3"

Lots of cars on track now. Only the Marussias and Petrov are on medium tyres. The top teams aim to progress through this session without using a set of the softer tyres. But as Raikkonen knows from Melbourne, that's easier said than done.

Only Vettel and the HRTs are still in the pits now. De la Rosa and Karthikeyan will want to be on the track with plenty of clear air so that they are not having to look in their mirrors too much on their hot laps.

Kovalainen also has a five place grid penalty for overtaking under the safety car in Australia.

Rosberg is fastest again with a 1:37.696 ahead of Button on a 1:37.872 and Hamilton on a 1:37.904.

Schumacher goes fastest with a 1:37.538, 0.158 faster than his team-mate.

Mercedes is predicting 1:38.6 to be the cut off in this session, meaning those outside that time - Paul di Resta down - could be knocked out if they don't improve.

Button clocks a time 0.037 off Schumacher.

Webber is also close to Mercedes' predicted cut off with a 1:38.560. Will he have to take on medium tyres to make sure he makes Q2?

Massa is back in the pits and is in danger of not making Q2 at the moment. He's 1.7s off Schumacher's time at the moment and in the drop zone.

Karthikeyan is currently within 107% so it looks like HRT has the pace to qualify.

Button complaining of rear tyre degradation after three laps on the hard tyres.

Alonso has medium compound tyres so he doesn't feel safe on a 1:38.151 in eighth position.

Massa exits the final corner to start his lap, this one is very important for him.

He's a tenth within the drop zone in sector one but still needs to go faster if he wants to be safe.

Massa goes 11th with a 1:38.381. He found some more time in the final two sectors and should be safe with that.

Webber is back out but is still on hard tyres.

Senna and the two Toro Rossos are in danger of dropping out at the moment.

Webber is on a faster lap now but needs to be as he is down in 17th.

Webber improves to first place with a 1:37.172.

The chequered flag falls and Vergne is out with the Lotuses, Marussias and HRTs. He returned to the pits early after a big lock up at the first corner. The car didn't look quite right so maybe he had a problem.

Both HRTs are within 107%. Karthikeyan only managed it by a tenth though and was 0.741 off team-mate de la Rosa.

Theeban asks: "At the moment its still dry so the tyre degradation is pretty much extensive. Jenson has been complaining on the radio at Mclaren. So will the tyre degradation be less when it rains?"

They'll switch to wet tyres and then the game changes slightly with degradation less of an issue (unless it starts to dry again). Wet tyres are actually made of pretty soft rubber so the drivers still have to look after them, but as long as its wet they tend to hold together quite well. Although we haven't had extensive enough running on the latest generation of wet Pirelli tyres to know how long they last.

The pit lane is open again and once more the drivers are staying in the garage.

Yeap asks: "There is rumor that Massa will be replace by the end of this year if he does not perform. It is possible that Schumacher drive for the red car next year since his contract end by the end of the year?"

I would say it is very unlikely, but who knows. However, Schumacher might not be too keen to go from an improving Mercedes team to a struggling Ferrari outfit, especially with Alonso as his team-mate.

All the cars except Grosjean are out on track. Hulkenberg is the only man to stick with hard tyres, the rest are on mediums.

Kobayashi goes fastest with a 1:38.158. Raikkonen immediately beats it with a 1:36.715, which is the fastest time we have seen this weekend. Impressive.

Maldonado is off the track at turn 12. He ends up very wide and in the gravel which will not have done his tyres any good. Hopefully he's on the same tyres as he used in Q1 and still has a couple of fresh sets as the Williams is looking quick.

Button is second fastest and 0.213 off Raikkonen.

Webber gies fourth fastest, 0.660 off Raikkonen.

Grosjean has joined tha action on medium tyres. He has the pace to get through to Q3 easily with a clean lap. He has plenty of empty track by delaying his first lap a tad.

But Grosjean makes a mistake in turn one.

The Force India, Saubers, Ferraris and Williamses will be scrapping it out for the final two places in Q3 with the McLarens, Red Bulls, Lotuses and Mercedes.

Grosjean clocks the fourth fastest time, 0.623 off his team-mate.

Hulkenberg and the two Williamses have yet to set a time.

Massa gets into the top ten by 0.4s with a respectable lap. But he will come under pressure iver the next two minutes of this session.

Alonso goes sixth with his attempt to make Q3, that could be enough.

Schumacher and Rosberg under pressure now and need to improve.

Kobayashi can't improve on 16th place. Ricciardo remains 15th.

Schumacher has another lap and is looking quick on this lap as is Rosberg.

Maldonado also had a quicker first sector.

Rosberg is third fastest and safe.

Schumacher is also safe, dropping Maldonado out. Massa is also out as Perez sneaks through in tenth. Vettel was ninth fastest in the end behind Alonso.

Massa was 0.352s off Alonso and was told by his engineer Rob Smedley that that is a good effort.

So Raikkonen was quickest in Q2 but even if he repeats that in Q3 he will start from fifth after his gearbox change and subsequent penalty.

Kobayashi ended up 17th in the end and wil not be happy with that as he was 0.592s off Sauber team-mate Perez.

Pete asks: "Do you guys know the closest top10 in history i reckon this weekend might be it"

Not off the top of my head, Pete. But is definitely very close this weekend and we genuinely have several cars capable of taking pole. That alone is refreshing after Red Bull dominated Saturday afternoons last year.

Raikkonen heads out on mediums to kick the final session of qualifying off.

Vettel leaves the pit lane now on medium tyres, which will be the tyre of choice in Q3.

Just looking at the speed trap data and Schumacher is by far the fastest after being clocked at 312km.h. That's 2km/h faster than Grosjean who is next fastest.

Raikkonen makes a big correction through turn six and his lap is looking a bit scrappy.

Hamilton is the fastest man on the track at the moment as the drivers are on their first attempts at fast laps.

Button goes quickest with a 1:36.6 but is blitzed by Hamilton on a 1:36.219.

Vettel can only manage sixth, behind Webber and Grosjean.

Hamilton made a big lock-up in the final corner and could have gone even quicker on that lap. Impressive stuff from McLaren.

Rosberg starts his hot lap as it looks like both Mercedes will only do one lap.

He's 0.075 off Hamilton in sector one after a lock-up into turn one. He then runs wide in sector two.

Rosberg is now 0.5s off Hamilton in sector two as Schumacher goes fastest of all in sector one.

Perez and Alonso have now gone out on track too.

Schumacher is 0.2s down in sector two but the Mercedes is very fast in sector three... He goes second fastest after missing Hamilton's time by 0.172s. Impressive lap but the rest are now going out for their second laps.

Rosberg ended up fourth fastest, but could face a challenge from the Lotuses and Red Bulls.

Webber finishes his first sector 0.3s off the pace so will struggle to fight for pole.

The chequered flag falls with the front runners (except the Mercedes) on their final lap now.

Webber slots in third with a good lap, Raikkonen fourth.

Vettel can only manage sixth. Button goes second, 0.149 off Hamilton, meaning its a front row lock out for McLaren.

Schumacher takes third after just one flying lap - he would have saved a fresh set of mediums for the race by doing so.

Webber and Raikkonen set indentical lap times in fourth and fifth. Webber gets the nod as he set his time first.

Vettel set his lap on hard tyres so will start the race on those, which should make things interesting in the race.

Raikkonen will start 10th when his grid penalty is taken into account. He was 0.197 faster than Lotus team-mate Grosjean in their first straight fight in Q3.

Ferrari's damage limitation continues with Alonso setting the ninth fastest time. But he was 1.347s off the pace of Hamilton.

Thanks for joining us for qualifying. Make sure you keep checking the website for all the reaction from teams and drivers and we'll be back tomorrow for race day.