16.00 The cars are away without any problems. Hamilton on the hard tyre as is Alonso. Top 10 look to be on soft tyres. Button also on softs. Massa on hards.

Vettel told to get up to 7th gear and keep his engine cool - it's too hot right now.

The last cars are forming at the back of the grid.

15.59 So we're very nearly ready to go, as far as I can tell all the cars are starting from the grid with exception of De la Rosa. He admits the engine blew and said it was "very unexpected".

15.57Jordan asks: "Do you think that Mark Webber can win this race?"

I think he's the favourite, but then so was Vettel in Australia. Sorry, rubbish answer, but given the potential conditions, a very difficult question.

15.55 More weather updates from Virgin: "Weather radar is saying clear for a dry start. Computer says yes!"

15.53 De la Rosa will not start the race, only one car on the grid for Suaber then.

15.51 A question from Doug: "Isn't an F-Duct a moveable aerodynamic device?"

Not according to the FIA. The only thing that moves is the driver, who blocks or allows more airflow to the rear wing. None of the car actually moves, it's all about controlling air. So unless the driver is classed as an aerodynamic device, the answer is no.

15.50 Red Bull mechanics are stood round the back of Webber's car on the grid stopping anyone getting a close look at it. Hiding some trick suspension maybe?

15.47 Update from Virgin: "Track now cleared! And pitlane closed now. We are removing the brake cooling, temperatures very critical in this heat."

15:45 De la Rosa's car got started but then stopped again at turn 3 with expected engine failure. His race may well be over before it has begun. He was 12th on the grid.

15.41 A crucial question from Stefan: "Are they expacting rain?"

I wish I could tell you for certain. In a pre-race interview Martin Whitmarsh said they weren't expecting it but considering it has been raining around this time all week it's hard to believe it won't. Remember the weather radars all got it wrong yesterday.

Update from Virgin: "Rain about an hour into the race but the forecast is changing every minute."

15.38 De la Rosa's car has stalled at the end of the pit lane... His mechanics are attending to his car and he should be allowed to rejoin the grid if the car can get restarted in time.

Meanwhile Ferrari have done a couple of sighter laps to get a feel for the track: "Both drivers are doing a couple of pass through the pits laps."

15.37 Nico Hulkenberg just ran wide on his outlap, no damage to the car but he must still be getting used to the extra fuel on board that Williams.

15.35 A question form Saif as the cars head out on to the track: "If the start is dry would they be allowed to change the tyres to dry or they will have to start on wet?"

They will be allowed to start on the appropriate tyres. The top ten tyre rule only applies to qualifying on dry tyres.

15.30 The last time we had so many quality drivers in quality cars that far down the field was the 2005 Japanese Grand Prix and that was one of the best races of the last decade.

But we don't want to overhype it too much, after all Bahrain is still fresh in the memory.

15:25Hello and welcome to live commentary for the Malaysian Grand Prix, it's hot and dry at the moment but the conditions weren't that different this time yesterday.

We're in for an absolute cracker of a race today, with Button, Alonso, Hamilton and Massa all staring from well down the grid.

If you have any questions or comments send them through byclicking here.

Lap 1

Vettel leads into turn one, Webber challenging but can't respond. Hamilton up to 12th Massa 13th, an HRT and a Williams got left on the grid.

Button coming under pressure from Alonso at the back of the field for 14th

Lap 2

Hamilton attacks Buemi but can't make it stick into turn one or three, but passes him around the outside of tunr five, great overtaking.

Massa Button and Alonso fighting for position after a mistake by Massa.

Lap 3

Vettel leads by 1.3 over Webber. Hamilton claims another place over Alguersuari.

Replay of the start shows Barrichello getting away slowly but they all did leave the grid.

Lap 4

Hamilton beats Kobayashi and is up to 10th after four laps. Timo Glock off in the gravel, he lost it under braking and bumped Trulli on his way out of the race.

Lap 5

Massa holding up Alonso now as they are both stuck behind the Toro Rossos. Vettel now 1.1 ahead of Webber.

Hamilton now ahead of Petrov for ninth and the Renault fights back and takes the position back

Lap 6

So Hamilton has to attack again.

Latest update - no rain for the next 30 mins.

Lap 7

Vettel 1.3 up on Webber now as Webber is told to look after his tyres.

Liuzzi is harassing Hulkenberg but drops off in the dirty air.

Lap 8

Hamilton through past Petrov and this time holds position ahead of the Renault. Hamilton was weaving around but the BBC's Brundle believes it was all within the rules.

Lap 9

My timing screen is now working again and I can tell you Vettel is holding a 1.2 second lead over Webber.

Meanwhile Button slips past Alonso for 15th place

Kobayashi drops out with engine failure, game over for Sauber.

Lap 10

Button pits from 15th on soft tyres. Changes to hard tyres, if he can find some clean air that could be a good decision.

Schumacher slowing down and his race looks to be over. Left rear wheel is lose - he says: "Something broke on the car"

Lap 11

Webber sets the fastest lap, he'll be keen to get that position back either through strategy or on the track.

Hamilton warned for excessive weaving on the straight ahead of Petrov by the stewards.

Lap 12

Vettel responds with a fastest lap of his own.

Kovalainen and di Grassi clash as the Lotuis attempted a move on the Virgin. Puncture for Kovalainen, damaged wing for di Grassi.

Hamilton sails past Liuzzi for 7th - but Liuzzi has a problem. And is slowing with some kind of failure.

Lap 13

Five cars have retired now as Button sets the fastest lap back in 13th place. He's making the most of those new tyres and an open road.

Lap 14

Rear suspension failure for Schumacher after running as high as sixth. Hulkenberg and Petrov pit.

Lap 15

Rosberg is now 4.8 seconds off the Red Bulls at the front. Liuzzi got back to the pits but is being wheeled into the garage.

Another fastest lap from Button.

Hamilton up to sixth now as Buemi pits, releasing Massa and Alonso behind him.

Lap 16

Vettel now goes quickest of all. But beaten immediately by Hamilton - a 1:40.899 2 seconds faster than Sutil ahead of him.

Vettel told to push, Webber told to stick with him. Intra-team rivalry at Red Bull.

Lap 17

Webber sets the fastest lap and the gap is down to 1.1 seconds. But Hamilton is on a similar pace further down the field.

Rain still forecast in half an hour's time.

Lap 18

Schumacher reveals the wheel-nut came off his Mercedes - says he doesn't know why.

Rosberg now 7.5 off Webber and 1.8 ahead of Kubica.

McLaren tells Hamilton rain might not come for the rest of the race.

Lap 19

Vettel sets another fastest lap to pull the gap to Webber back to 1.4.

Button going quickly and should easily jump Massa and Alonso at the pit stop.

Lap 20

Kovalainen retires from the race. Alonso's Ferrari sounds a bit odd when downshifting. That explains why he is bottled up behind Massa and not attempting a pass.

Hamilton has closed the gap to Sutil to 4.9 seconds. And Sutil pits.

Lap 21

Hamilton now has a gap of 9.1 seconds to Kubica ahead.

Rosberg has dropped to 9.9 seconds off the Red Bulls as Kubica pits. Hamilton up to fourth.

Lap 22

Kubica rejoins just ahead of Massa. Meanwhile Alguersuari passes Petrov for 11th and Buemi goes past the Renault too.

Lap 23

Rosberg pits from third.

Ferrari confirm the downshift problem but say he has had it since the start of the race and is happy with his pace.

Sutil now the fastest man on the track, he is in a battle with Hamilton although the McLaren has not pitted yet.

Lap 24

Vettel pits from the lead. He pushed very hard into the pit lane and it was a good stop by his mechanics - 4.8 seconds.

Vettel sets the fastest middle sector of anyone on his out lap, it was crucial for him to get out ahead of Hamilton.

Hamilton now in third just behind Vettel who has rejoined the track.

Lap 25

Webber pits but the front right was slow going on. He rejoins behind Vettel and Hamilton in third.

Rosberg sets the fastest lap he'll make a position up on Hamilton when the McLaren pits.

Lap 26

Vettel now the fastest on the track, 2.6 up on Hamilton. Massa ready to come in for his tyres and comes down the pit lane.

Lap 27

Webber is getting held up behind Hamilton now and that will ruin his chances of challenging Vettel.

Massa rejoins in ninth place behind Button but ahead of Hulkenberg, Petrov and the two Toro Rossos.

Lap 28

Can Alonso beat Massa in the pits? He's set a personal best just now. But Massa had a stonking outlap, fastest in both middle and final sectors.

Lap 29

Now Massa sets a fastest first sector, the Ferrari is coming alive on those new tyres. Alonso still hasn't pitted so Massa is almost certainly safe. And Massa sets the fastest lap to boot.

He needs to be careful not to wear thos tyres too much though as they have to last another 27 laps. Assuming he is on a one stop strategy.

Lap 30

Hamilton still quick, despite not pitting. He's second on the track but is realistically racing against Button and Sutil for 7th.

Button is asking a lot of his tyres though, after pitting so early.

Kovalainen has rejoined the race 8 laps down.

Lap 31

Hamilton pits. Rosberg told he is racing against the McLaren.

Hamilton holds off Button as he rejoins and will now pull a big gap on those soft tyres.

Great move by Alguersuari to beat Hulkenberg for 10th. Around the outside of turn five after outfoxing the Williams into turn four.

Lap 32

Vettel now 5.8 up on Webber at the front. Rosberg just 7.2 off Webber, he has closed that gap while the Red Bull was stuck behind Hamilton.

Hamilton about to set the fastest lap.

Lap 33

Hamilton is two seconds faster than anyone eles on his new soft tyres - incredible. He's now reeling in Sutil.

Lap 34

No sign of rain yet, humidity is at 51% and air temp 41C.

Petrov loses drive and parks his Renault off the track.

Hamilton all over the back of Sutil now... locks a tyre into the final corner.

Lap 35

Hamilton thought about having a go into tunr one but he wasn't close enough. And they are now coming up to Alonso ahead, who hasn't pitted.

Sutil looks quite comfortable ahead of Hamilton, he's not going to pressured into a mistake.

Lap 36

Both Sutil and Hamilton have the same engines but very different chassis.

Massa now hoping to pass Button and told to use his overtake button to use full revs.

Just goes to show that the Ferrari engine is still a little fragile and not capable of running on full power.

Lap 37

Alonso pits. He rejoins on empty track after 4.2 seconds stationary.

Massa very close to Button now, Alonso most likely rejoined behind Massa in 10th but some way back.

Lap 38

Hamilton still stuck behind Sutil, this is putting a bit of damper on his fantastic race so far.

Lap 39

Still no sign of rain as Vettel leads Webber by 3.7 seconds.

Alonso sets the fastest lap on his new tyres.

Lap 40

Hamilton now 0.4 off Sutil, he doesn't look as close anymore after taking some life out of his soft tyres.

So after a great race so far we are seeing the same old aero problems haunting F1.

Lap 41

Hamilton admits Sutil is too quick on the straights to make a pass.

And Hamilton is sliding all over the place trying to hang on in Sutil's slipstream through the fastest corners.

Lap 42

Alonso still setting fastest laps and is closing on Massa. 3.6 seconds is the gap now.

Webber told to press the throttle peddle harder as his foot is bumping off it at times.

Lap 43

Massa still pushing hard behind Button

Buemi bangs wheels with Barrichello to pass for 12th place. Proving that Ferrari power is better than Cosworth.

Lap 44

And Massa gets past Button into turn one .. simple move up the inside and Button is now under attack from Alonso.

Button didn't put up a fight but Massa was much quicker out of the previous corner due to fresher tyres.

Lap 45

Webber 3.0 off Vettel now. As Alonso keeps Button in his sights.

Lap 46

Now Alonso has a chance, Button goes defensive and holds him off. That's what Button should have done to Massa, he made Alonso go the long way around the outside and then held track position into turn two.

Hamilton told Massa could catch him before the end of the race.

Lap 47

Hamilton is still struggling in the wake of Sutil's Force India.

Vettel managing the gap to Webber as Rosberg is to Kubica.

Alonso sideways passing a backmarker with his troublesome gearbox and Button gets further away.

Lap 48

Massa now setting fast times behind Hamilton.

Lap 49

The gap is just 2.8 seconds now between Hamilton and Massa. Hamilton told he will be caught by the Ferrari in the final four laps of the race.

Lap 50

Webber has now dropped to 4.4 off Vettel. The two Red Bulls may now be just saving their cars now to make sure they finish one-two.

Lap 51

Rosberg and Kubica setting personal bests as their fuel loads come down.

Hamilton now sets a fast first sector. Will he have one last attempt to pass Sutil? 0.8 was the gap last time round.

Lap 52

But Hamilton is still 0.8 off as they cross the line, Massa just 1.6 off Hamilton.

Alonso still ducking and diving behind Button but can't find a way through with that sick gearbox. And Alonos runs wide into the final corner.

Lap 53

Vettel and Webber setting fast middle sectors, despite the gap being 6.2 seconds and the race seemingly comfotably theirs.

Lap 54

And Webber sets the fastest lap, almost to show that he hasn't been pushing this race behind his team-mate.

Massa still 1.6 off Hamilton, that fight has not emerged in the final stages of this race. Now all eyes are on the battle between Alonso and Button.

Lap 55

Alonso dives doen the inside but the car wouldn't slow down. His engine blows after that move and he is out of the race.

Smoke was coming from the engine heading into that corner and then it appeared to let go as he went past Button.

Lap 56

Vettel on his final lap now, a brilliantly controlled race for him. He should have won in Bahrain and Australia if it were not for reliability woes and now in the heat of Sepang he wins the race.

Webber completes the one-two, ahead of Rosberg, Kubica, Sutil, Hamilton, Massa, Button, Alguersuari and Hulkenberg.

Vettel congratulates his team on a fantastic job. And waves to the crowd on his way back to the pits.

Both HRTs and a Virgin (di Grassi) finish the race at the back.

As the drivers try to pick up as much rubber and debris on teh way back to the pits Webber climbs out of his car to be immediately congratulated by Webber.

Adrian Newey will join his drivers on the podium to celebrate Red Bull's first appearance up there this season.

Thank you for joining us. We'll be back in two-weeks time in China for the next grand prix.