F1 updates from 8am BST in Sepang
Verstappen ends pole wait | And mail Yara
Mercedes: Antonelli remains comfortably in control of the championship, holding a 66-point advantage over his Mercedes team-mate Russell. Verstappen, meanwhile, sits down in sixth and looks unlikely to pose a serious threat to the title fight from here.
For Russell, though, today represents a crucial opportunity. Starting seventh, he has plenty of work to do if he is to stop Antonelli from extending his championship lead. And if the conditions turn wet, Russell could yet have a card to play. He has proven himself more than capable in tricky conditions – but Antonelli has too.
