Qatar and Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix to go ahead: F1 boss

Five key takeaways after qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix:

Alexander Albon struggled to advance in the final qualifying session, coming under increasing pressure. Carlos Sainz, on the other hand, made it through comfortably, maintaining a 12-4 head-to-head advantage over Albon in qualifying. Sainz's average speed in qualifying sessions has consistently been about 0.25 seconds faster than Albon's.

Aston Martin has shown progress in qualifying, with both cars making it through to Q2. Although still far from their optimal performance, this marks a significant improvement for the team, especially on circuits that suit their chassis strengths, such as Sepang International Circuit. However, Aston Martin still has a long way to go to match their potential.

After the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, George Russell's Q1 slip-up in Baku was quickly rectified by Kimi Antonelli, who secured a two-tenths lead over Russell in Q3. This performance indicates Red Bull's continued dominance and Verstappen's best chance for a win at the Malaysian Grand Prix, though Lewis Hamilton starting P2 will pose a challenge.

Mercedes' recent update was eagerly anticipated, but the team's performance fell short of expectations. Kimi Antonelli's qualifying session wasn't flawless, but Russell's smooth session resulted in an eighth-place finish, leaving Mercedes' gap to Verstappen concerning. The seven-tenths gap highlights the need for improvement in Singapore to maintain their competitive edge against the championship leaders.