Hamilton steals show in practice

McLaren driver tops both sessions ahead of Malaysian GP.

SEPANG: Britain’s Lewis Hamilton hogged the limelight by topping both practice sessions as he bids to ignite his championship charge with victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix.

McLaren’s 2008 world champion, who is yet to win at Sepang, scorched to one minute and 38.021 seconds in the morning drive and led the way again on a stifling afternoon with a time of 1:38.172.

Seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, whose Mercedes has drawn attention for its innovative “W-duct” rear wing, was 0.361 adrift in the second session with McLaren’s Jenson Button, the season’s early points leader, third.

Hamilton said he would push for his second pole position this year in qualifying today despite a couple of blips when he ran off-course.

“Around here, overtaking will be a little more possible than in Melbourne,” said Hamilton. “Nevertheless, starting from the front will still be the best position for the race, and that’s what I’ll be going for.

“We’ve got to keep pushing, stay hydrated and remain focused - there’s a lot of hard work ahead.”

Schumacher’s teammate Nico Rosberg was placed fourth with Toro Rosso’s Daniel Ricciardo fifth. Ferrari’s double world champion Fernando Alonso was sixth ahead of Red Bull driver Mark Webber.

Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel, who swept to his second straight world title last year, had a quiet afternoon and wound up 10th, 1.23 seconds off Hamilton’s pace.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2012.