Perez is first Mexican on the podium in over 40 years
2012 Malaysian Grand Prix stats and facts
Sergio Perez scored his best result to date with second in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
It was the first time a Mexican driver has appeared on the podium since Pedro Rodriguez finished second in the 1971 Dutch Grand Prix for BRM – 19 years before Perez was born.
This was also the best result for Sauber as an independent team. They won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix during their period of ownership by BMW, when they raced as BMW-Sauber.
They finished third as Sauber on six previous occasions, the last being with Heinz-Harald Frenzten in the 2003 United States Grand Prix.
Out of the 679 podium finishes for a Ferrari-engined car, this was only the third scored by a car that wasn’t a Ferrari. The others were David Coulthard’s third place for Red Bull in the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix and Sebastian Vettel’s win for Toro Rosso in Italy two years later.
Perez also led a race for the first time in his F1 career, becoming the 160th different driver to do so.
Alonso joins top five F1 winners
Fernando Alonso’s 28th Grand Prix win surely must be counted as one of his best. It moves him past Jackie Stewart’s tally of 27 and makes him the fifth most successful driver of all time in terms of races won.
He started the race from eighth on the grid, the second-lowest position he has ever won a race from. He won the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix from 15th, but the less said about that race the better.
This is the first time he’s won the same race with three different constructors: he won with Renault in 2005, McLaren in 2007 and now Ferrari.
Team mate Felipe Massa had a dreadful race and finished 15th. Having failed to finish in Australia, it leaves him 19th in the drivers’ championship behind both Marussias: Timo Glock has had a 14th place finish and Charles Pic has a 15th and a 17th.
Hamilton’s 21st pole position
Pole position went to Lewis Hamilton for the 21st time in his career, giving him one more than Alonso and Damon Hill.
Despite starting both of this year’s races from pole position, he has only led for 14 out of the 114 laps.
Just two races into his comeback, Kimi Raikkonen has already added to his tally of race fastest laps. He has the third-highest tally of any driver with 36, behind Michael Schumacher (76) and Alain Prost (41).
Sixth for Bruno Senna was his best result so far. It gives Williams eight points, three more than they scored in the whole of last year.
Jean-Eric Vergne scored the first points of his F1 career with eighth place. He is the 320th F1 driver to score points.
There were nine different constructors in the points: Ferrari, Sauber, McLaren, Red Bull, Lotus, Williams, Force India, Toro Rosso and Mercedes. That equals the record set in the 2010 European Grand Prix when Red Bull, McLaren, Williams, Renault, Force India, BMW-Sauber, Ferrari, Toro Rosso and Mercedes all scored.
Romain Grosjean has completed just four racing laps so far this year.
Finally, Narain Karthikeyan equalled the highest position officially held by an HRT driver during a race. He was ninth on lap 13, a position he also occupied during last year’s Canadian Grand Prix. Pic also held eighth place for Marussia for one lap.
Review the year so far in statistics here:
- 2012 F1 championship points
- 2012 F1 season records
- 2012 F1 race data
- 2012 F1 qualifying data
- 2012 F1 retirements and penalties
- 2012 F1 strategy and pit stops
Spotted any other interesting stats and facts from the Malaysian Grand Prix? Share them in the comments.
2012 Malaysian Grand Prix
- Fans videos from the 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix
- Perez voted Driver of the Weekend for Malaysia
- Rate the race result: 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix
- Perez is first Mexican on the podium in over 40 years
- Top ten pictures from the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend
Browse all 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix articles
Image © Sauber F1 Team, McLaren/Hoch Zwei
rachel said on 26th March 2012, 20:14
alonso + ferrari = ultimate combo
Zecks (@zecks) said on 26th March 2012, 23:33
so schumacher + ferrari = what?
Colossal Squid (@colossal-squid) said on 27th March 2012, 2:43
Super ultimate mega combo?
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 20:40
Not only were there 9 teams in the top 10, there were 8 different teams in the top 8 – I don’t think that’s happened before!
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 21:36
Also, every team that managed to score points last year did so yesterday as well.
safeeuropeanhome (@debaser91) said on 26th March 2012, 22:23
I think that is my favourite stat – I know there were changeable conditions yesterday but even so it shows that the grid is incredibly competitive and nearly all teams have a shout of getting good points if things go their way.
Also wouldn’t have put money before the race on Force India being the only team to have two cars in the points
Paul Gilbert said on 26th March 2012, 22:50
Belgium 2005 had 9 different teams in the top 9 (but only 8 drivers scored in those days).
Enigma (@enigma) said on 27th March 2012, 8:40
Even better!
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 20:51
This is the first time since Hockenheim 2010 that someone other than Alonso, Vettel, Webber, Button and Hamilton finished in the top 2. Before Malaysia, those 5 had shared the last 18 podiums, since Malaysia last year. The 5 are also the only winners of the last 44 Grands Prix, since Barrichello’s win in Monza 2009, and they’ve each won one of the last 5 races.
In the last four races, the winner of the previous one failed to get on the podium.
The last 5 races that were red-flagged because of rain (last 6 red flags minus Monaco 2011, which was dry) have an interesting pattern between Alonso and Button.
- Nurburgring 2007 – Alonso wins, Button fails to score
- Malaysia 2009 – Button wins, Alonso fails to score
- Korea 2010 – Alonso wins, Button fails to score
- Montreal 2011 – Button wins, Alonso fails to score
- Malaysia 2012 – Alonso wins, Button fails to score
Bullfrog (@bullfrog) said on 26th March 2012, 20:59
Who was the last new winner – was it Webber? Seems a long time now since we had one.
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 21:27
Yep, Nurburgring 2009. There were 3 new winners the year before that. We could’ve had a new one this weekend, disappointing it didn’t happen.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 26th March 2012, 21:50
@bullfrog Off the top of my head there were two in 2009 – Kovalainen and Webber – and since Webber no new ones.
Dizzy-A (@david-a) said on 26th March 2012, 22:08
@keithcollantine – Kovalainen did not win in 2009, in fact he failed to get a single podium.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 26th March 2012, 22:17
Ah that was 2008 wasn’t it? I said it was off the top of my head!
safeeuropeanhome (@debaser91) said on 26th March 2012, 22:26
Kubica, Kovalainen and Vettel were all ’08
Palle (@palle) said on 26th March 2012, 21:45
@enigma: interesting stat about the redflag races and Alonso and Button: It means that next time Button will win and Alonso fail to score:-) Now they know!
SimBri (@f1addict) said on 26th March 2012, 21:47
Nice pattern – how did you find that?
We have already had the same number of different teams on the podium as last year (4). Of course after Malaysia last year it was only Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari. Hopefully that won’t be repeated!
BasCB (@bascb) said on 27th March 2012, 6:57
Ehm, about those stats, its missing Monaco 2011 where we had a red flag as well. Only that was won by Vettel ahead of Alonso and Button.
sumedh said on 27th March 2012, 7:13
May be he meant red flags caused due to rain :)
Enigma (@enigma) said on 27th March 2012, 8:39
@bascb
BasCB (@bascb) said on 27th March 2012, 10:20
Ahm, yes I see. sorry @enigma
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 20:55
I wonder if it’s ever happened before that two drivers that were genuienly too slow to qualify in the top 8 managed to take a 1-2. Quite a surprise result!
OOliver said on 26th March 2012, 21:05
Another telling stat.
cosworth the only engine supplier not to score any points.
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 21:37
This stat is slightly out-of-date, but I thought I’d share it after Perez’ podium and Barrichello’s first Indycar race both this weekend: Barrichello’s never managed to score points in a race started by Perez.
Paul Gilbert said on 27th March 2012, 22:49
And Massa has never scored points in a race that Grosjean has started.
Palle (@palle) said on 26th March 2012, 21:39
Qualifying stats:
21. pole for HAM, 1. pole for HAM in Malaysia.
149. pole for McLaren,
61. Double pole for McLaren – as much as Williams, Ferrari is only team with more: 70.
1. Double pole, 2 in a row since 2007 for McLaren – back then it was 3 in a row – maybe we get there this year also?
First time since 2001 that a team gets 2 double poles in the first 2 races. (in 2001: SCH and BAR for Ferrari).
84. pole for a Mercedes engine.
First time since European GP 2009 we have 3 Mercedes engines on the first 3 places on the grid. (in 2009: HAM, KOV, both McL, BAR (Brawn GP).
Best startposition for SCH since Japan 2006 (2.).
First time since Belgium and Italy 2009 with 2 times in a row no RBR on row 1.
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 21:41
Speaking of poles, Button’s won 7 Grands Prix since the last race weekend he was on pole position (Monaco 2009). I’m not sure on this one, but I think only Lauda and Prost have managed more wins in a row without poles in between, 8 each.
Also, Giancarlo Fisichella has started a race from pole position more recently than Jenson Button!
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 27th March 2012, 0:24
I like the Fisichella stat. If the McLaren continues do dominate in qualifying I think Button will get the upper hand over Hamilton at some point this year to claim pole.
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 21:45
Since Malaysia 2010, Vettel was the best German in qualifying for 35 times in a row. Now it’s been Schumacher twice in a row.
Enigma (@enigma) said on 26th March 2012, 21:46
Oooops – forgot about Hulkenberg. 20 in a row, not 35.
Adam Tate (@adam-tate) said on 28th March 2012, 15:09
Fantastic stats @Enigma
Pamphlet (@pamphlet) said on 26th March 2012, 21:46
http://www.oddschecker.com/motor-sport/formula-one/drivers-championship
Perez is 250/1.
Massa is 1000/1.
Mother of God.
MRFS said on 26th March 2012, 22:11
Now who wants to put a bet on Trulli? :D
Palle (@palle) said on 26th March 2012, 22:02
I don’t know if I repeat something already mentioned but:
217. win for Ferrari Team and 218. for Ferrari engine.
HAM in the points for the 70th time.
VET no 11 – worst completed race result since Belgium GP 2010.
Alonso’s 7000th lap as race leader – WOW
Button no 14 – his worst result ever in Malaysia
Massa no 15 – his worst result ever in Malaysia
SCH in his 11th Malaysian GP in the points.
Senna’s best result on the day, 28 years after first GP of Ayrton.
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 27th March 2012, 4:25
@palle, where’d you come up with 7000 laps led for Alonso? According to GPGuide, he’s 10th on the list of all time laps led, with 1469, and has a long ways to go to match Schumacher’s 5114, who even falls quite a bit short of 7000.
Palle (@palle) said on 27th March 2012, 20:03
@US-Peter Damn, You called my bluff. I just made it up to be interesting;-)
No, I got it from a German site, and I don’t know where they have it from. So sorry that it apparently is wrong. This makes me question the rest of the stat info I put up, not good.
Casanova said on 28th March 2012, 13:54
Maybe they mean that during his 7,000th race lap overall, he was race leader?
Mikemat5150 (@mikemat5150) said on 26th March 2012, 22:25
Sauber scored some great championship points today!
Paul Gilbert said on 26th March 2012, 22:27
This is the second time in the last 4 seasons that a Ferrari has won the race after being challenged by an unlikely driver who was tipped to move to Ferrari later that season (on the previous occasion, Fisichella moved to Ferrari for the very next race).
Also, Massa has failed to score in the first 2 races whilst his team-mate has won the latter race (after an Englishman won for McLaren in the first race). This also happened in 2008 – and we know what happened then!
Michael Brown (@lite992) said on 26th March 2012, 23:00
Perez becomes the 8th youngest driver to finish on the podium, at 22 years 60 days old. Lewis Hamilton is 9th, 10 days older.
IDR (@idr) said on 26th March 2012, 23:23
And I think is the lowest position in the grid for a winner of this race. Previous one was KIMI starting from P7, I don’t remember very well the year.
Bleu (@bleu) said on 27th March 2012, 8:51
Perez was the first driver born in 1990s to achieve podium. I had to look on other firsts there. First ever World Championship race at Silverstone 1950 had a podium of Farina (1900s), Fagioli (1890s) and Parnell (1910s).
After that it’s:
1920s Mike Nazaruk/Manuel Ayulo (Indianapolis 1951)
1930s Troy Ruttman (Indianapolis 1952)
1940s Jochen Rindt (Belgium 1966)
1950s Jody Scheckter (Belgium 1974)
1960s Ayrton Senna (Monaco 1984)
1970s Rubens Barrichello (Pacific 1994)
1980s Fernando Alonso (Malaysia 2003)
Discounting Indys, the honor on 1920s goes to Jose Froilan Gonzalez, for the 1930s to Eugenio Castellotti.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 27th March 2012, 13:31
I wish the drivers were as clued up as we were about all these facts. I’m sure it would make (most of) them feel very humble indeed when all these famous names are mentioned.
Adam Tate (@adam-tate) said on 28th March 2012, 15:14
I couldn’t agree more.