2003 Malaysian Grand Prix
| 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Race 2 of 16 in the 2003 Formula One World Championship
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| Race details | |||||
| Date | 23 March 2003 | ||||
| Official name | 2003 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix | ||||
| Location | Sepang International Circuit, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia | ||||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||||
| Course length | 5.543 km (3.444 miles) | ||||
| Distance | 56 laps, 310.408 km (192.879 miles) | ||||
| Weather | Fine, air temperature 34°C (93°F) | ||||
| Attendance | 101,485 | ||||
| Pole position | |||||
| Driver | Renault | ||||
| Time | 1:37.044 | ||||
| Fastest lap | |||||
| Driver | Michael Schumacher | Ferrari | |||
| Time | 1:36.412 on lap 45 | ||||
| Podium | |||||
| First | McLaren-Mercedes | ||||
| Second | Ferrari | ||||
| Third | Renault | ||||
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Lap leaders | |||||
The 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix (officially the 2003 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix) was a Formula One motor race held at the Sepang International Circuit in Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia on 23 March 2003 before 101,485 spectators. It was the second race of the 2003 Formula One World Championship and the fifth Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix. McLaren driver Kimi Räikkönen won the 56-lap race starting from seventh position. Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello finished second with Renault's Fernando Alonso third.
Before the race, McLaren's David Coulthard was leading the World Drivers' Championship however the Scot retired with electrical problems on lap three. Alonso qualified on pole position after setting the fastest lap time in the second qualifying session, becoming the youngest Formula One pole sitter. He maintained the lead at the start and held it until his first pit stop on lap 14. This promoted Räikkönen to first place, which he held for most of the rest of the race to achieve his maiden Formula One victory. Barrichello was 39.2 seconds down in second, and Alonso finished third, his first podium finish.
The result meant Räikkönen took over the World Drivers' Championship lead from his teammate Coulthard with 16 championship points. Coulthard's retirement dropped him to second ahead of Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya in third as Montoya failed to score any championship points. McLaren extended their World Constructors' Championship lead to ten championship points, with Ferrari moving from fourth to second and Renault retaining third with 14 races remaining in the season.