After the unexpectedly cool and damp conditions in Melbourne, the season takes us back to searing heat this weekend and the Malaysian Grand Prix in Kuala Lumpur. The drivers and key team personnel discuss their chances of success at the challenging Sepang International Circuit…

As in Bahrain, Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull were the fastest combination in Melbourne.

1st Jenson Button (McLaren), 1h33m36.531s; 2nd Robert Kubica (Renault), 1h33m48.565s; 3rd Felipe Massa (Ferrari), 1h33m51.019s. Q: Jenson, an incredible race.

Defending world champion Jenson Button clinched his first victory of 2010 – and his first for McLaren – in Australia on Sunday. An excellent call on tyre strategy – and a mechanical failure for pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel – gave him the edge in the dry-wet Melbourne race.

Red Bull clinched the front row of the Melbourne grid with ease on Saturday, with Sebastian Vettel taking pole ahead of team mate – and local hero – Mark Webber. Behind the Red Bull duo, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso, McLaren’s Jenson Button and Felipe Massa in the other Ferrari made up the top five. The big surprise, however, was Lewis Hamilton failing to make it through to Q3.

His Red Bull team mate Sebastian Vettel eventually ended qualifying on top, but Mark Webber came very close to securing pole position at his home race on Saturday.

Drivers: 1. Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull), 1m 23.919s; 2. Mark Webber (Red Bull), 1m 24.035s; 3

Red Bull annexed the front row of the starting grid for Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix, courtesy of poleman Sebastian Vettel and local hero Mark Webber. The German set the fastest time of the weekend on his first runs in Q3, with 1m 23.919s

Mark Webber owned Albert Park on Saturday afternoon in the final practice for his home race, lapping his Red Bull in 1m 24.719s to head off the challenges of Bahrain winner Fernando Alonso (1m 24.929s) in the Ferrari and the revitalised Michael Schumacher (1m 24.963s) for Mercedes. In a session that remained dry, they were the pacesetters for most of the way…

Team principals: Ross Brawn (Mercedes), Stefano Domenicali (Ferrari), Christian Horner (Red Bull) and Martin Whitmarsh (McLaren) Q: A question for you all. Was the result in Bahrain pretty much what you expected or were there some surprises?