Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Image source, Rex Features

The Sepang track has been resurfaced and many of its corners reprofiled for this year’s race. The biggest changes are at the last corner, which is now negative camber. It was notable that the drivers were not hitting a traditional apex there on Friday, instead taking a line some distance wide of the inside kerb. It’s fair to say that, as a group, the drivers were not keen. This was because of the understeer the inside-outside slope of the corner creates. Many drivers said they did not like it, Jolyon Palmer using the word “annoying”. 

While Daniel Ricciardo said: “It's challenging. I guess that's one positive side of it. You take the inside, but then it sort of washes it away with the negative banking and you're on the outside so you do a lot more distance. I wouldn't say it's a fun corner, you're really struggling for grip as the track falls away.” The idea was to create more overtaking and some said that might happen. 

Nico Rosberg was the most positive, saying: “The last corner they have put massive banking into it but the wrong direction which pushes you to the outside, eventually, the middle of the track has the best grip. It’s a good corner. Maybe we can learn something from it because there are two lines - if you’re following someone you can go to the inside and there’s less grip but there’s clean air so you can challenge down to Turn One. It’s pretty cool.”

Fernando Alonso and Esteban Gutierrez are the first two drivers out on track. Alonso has softs bolted on his McLaren while Gutierrez is out on the hard tyres.

Quite liking this picture of Kevin Magnussen this morning who has the appearance of someone who's gone to push up his glasses that aren't there. 

With the UK seven hours behind Malaysia, I wouldn't be surprised if some dreary eyed readers have done the same this morning. 

Image source, AP

Away we go with one hour of final practice.

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra commentary is live now. Get on it.

Image source, EPA

Kevin Magnussen is suited up and ready to get back in the car. He looks calm as a cucumber, impressive considering he was leaping out of a burning car just 24 hours ago.

Someone's got Prodigy's Firestarter belting out of the Renault garage...

Image source, Fernando Alonso/Instagram

Fernando Alonso posted this picture on Instagram. I don't know why, but I absolutely love seeing pictures of all the drivers mingling and having a laugh off the circuit.

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

McLaren and Honda gave the upgraded engine Fernando Alonso was using on Friday the thumbs up and have now taken it out of his car to analyse the data so it is ready for use next weekend at Honda’s all-important home race in Japan. 

The engine has been introduced in Malaysia so Alonso can use it in Japan without a grid penalty - but that means he gets one in Sepang instead. And he now has a bigger one. 

Although Honda have put in the car the engine he last used in Belgium, it has a new turbo and MGU-H - his ninth of each - and that means 15 further places, making a total of 45. It’s academic, of course, because his earlier 30-place penalty meant he was at the back anyway. 

Both drivers will have the new exhaust tried on the upgraded engine fitted to their old-spec engines for the rest of this weekend.

Image source, Getty Images

And why wouldn't he be. After a couple of rotten years Fernando Alonso finished fifth and seventh in first and second practice respectively yesterday. 

Image source, AP

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

We're 15 minutes away from final practice getting under way in Malaysia and, as ever, you can listen to commentary from Jack Nicholls and company on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and online.

Then we get a brief break before qualifying at 10:00 BST.

Image source, McLaren

Felipe Massa's face here is exceptional.

Fair dos to McLaren, they did a giving Jenson Button a taste of home yesterday, and The Dog and Button is an absolutely superb name for a pub. 

If you can think of any other F1-related pub names, throw them our way via #bbcf1,, external text them in on 81111 (UK only) or post it on the BBC Sport Facebook page.  

Andrew Benson
Chief F1 writer

Image source, Getty Images

Lewis Hamilton's Singapore demons seem to have been expunged; at least that was the case on Friday in Malaysia. 

Back in Singapore, it was odd to see him so discombobulated by missing half a session of Friday running - especially as he had played its effects down at the time. Nevertheless, there was no such trouble at Sepang and Hamilton completed what he described as “a very good day”. Slower than team-mate Nico Rosberg in the first session, largely because of a lock-up on the soft tyres, he was highly impressive in the second. 

Quickest of all by a decent chunk on softs and faster on hard tyres than Rosberg was on mediums. So, did he feel more comfortable in the car than last time out? “Hah-hah,” he said. “Time will tell.”

Image source, Getty Images

Before getting down the boozer it was business as usual for the F1 gang on the track on Friday.

The day started with drama as Kevin Magnussen's Renault burst into flames as a result of a fuel leak, but after that it was a pretty low key day as Nico Rosberg finished fastest in the first session, before Lewis Hamilton topped the times in second practice.

Image source, Jenson Button/Instagram

Yep, this weekend's Malaysian Grand Prix is a pretty big deal for Jenson Button as he prepares for his 300th race start. 

The Briton celebrated the landmark in the most British way possible last night as McLaren built him a pub and invited a few of his F1 mates round for some beer, darts and pork scratchings. 

Love it.

Image source, McLaren

Its another typical night at the Dog and Button. Max Verstappen is at the bar. He's forgotten his I.D and is trying desperately to convince the barman he is old enough for a lager top. 

Over in the corner Romain Grosjean is having a bit of a whinge about the quality of his pint while Lewis Hamilton doesn't seem best pleased with the balance of his stool. 

Fernando Alonso is looking chilled out. He's brought his own deckchair for some reason while in the middle of the pub Jenson Button is holding court, and so he should. After all, it is his party...

Image source, Jenson Button/Instagram