Formula One: the Malaysian Grand Prix - in pictures

Rain pelts the Sepang track before the race forcing the majority of teams to erect canopies over their cars to keep them dry until the very last second. Worse weather is forecast for the race itself, which could make for an interesting afternoon Photograph: Diego Azubel/EPA

Lewis Hamilton of McLaren Mercedes is on pole for the second race running. Can he turn that into a victory this time? At Melbourne he was runner-up to his team-mate, Jenson Button Photograph: Diego Azubel/EPA

The lights go out and the race gets under way. Button, on the right, attempts to find a dry-line out wide, but Hamilton is first to the opening corner - unlike in the last race when Button swiftly overtook him Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Hamilton holds firm through the opening corners Photograph: James Moy/Press Association Images

The rain soon becomes torrential and two laps from the start of the race, Sergio Pérez, driving for Sauber, is the first to gamble by heading into the pits for wet tyres Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

The field eventually follows suit, but their delay in doing so allows Pérez to jump up to third behind the two McLarens Photograph: James Moy/Press Association Images

Conditions are so bad, however, that by lap six the safety car emerges to bring a temporary halt to the race for almost an hour Photograph: Diego Azubel/EPA

The helmet of Ferrari's Fernando Alonso is kept dry as everyone waits for the restart Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Hamilton and Button wrestle their cars - Button looks the faster of the two but Hamilton retains the lead Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Button tags the back of Narain Karthikeyan's HRT car on lap 15, ruining his race. The Brit was to blame for a driving error - he failed to break sufficiently as they entered the corner Photograph: XPB Images/Press Association Images

Michael Schumacher, who qualified third - the highest position since his return to F1 two years ago - is slipping down the order Photograph: Franck Robichon/EPA

Alonso, meanwhile, is flying. He sweeps to the front of the field on intermediate tyres and opens up a sizeable gap on his rivals Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Pérez is having the drive of his life for Sauber, and catches the leader in the closing stages Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

But Pérez gets totally out of shape whilst cornering and loses a huge chunk of time, handing an unexpected win to Alonso Photograph: Roslan Rahman/AFP/Getty Images

Nonetheless, Pérez looks delighted with second place as they pull up in parc fermé. Lewis Hamilton's McLaren occupies third spot Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

Hamilton emerges from his car looking exhausted Photograph: Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Alonso and Pérez celebrate jubilantly on the podim. Alonso now leads the driver's championship on 35 points, ahead of Hamilton on 30 and Button on 25 Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images