McLaren qualifying hopes dashed by Malays

McLaren pair Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton were left to rue a misjudgement of the strengthening rain as both were eliminated after the first session of qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

Loitering in their garage as drizzle greeted the start of yesterday's qualifying, the Britons watched in horror as the rain grew heavier at the Sepang circuit, costing them a chance to reach the latter stages.

Red Bull's Mark Webber clinched pole as Hamilton finished in 20th place with Button ending up stuck in a gravel trap, unable to compete in the second session. He will start Sunday's race in 17th place.

"We read it wrong basically," defending world champion, Button told reporters. "We thought that first rain storm was it and there was nothing else coming, so we waited. It was obviously the wrong thing to do.

"I hope I haven't damaged anything because I was sat in the gravel with the engine running for quite a long time hoping to get pulled out. but that wasn't the case."

The only consolation for McLaren was that rivals Ferrari committed the same error with Felipe Massa (21st) and championship leader Fernando Alonso (19th) also eliminated in the first qualifying session.

"I am in front of three of my championship rivals I suppose so that's the best way of looking at it but behind a lot of other rivals which is a tough one," Button said.

"We made the wrong call, as Ferrari did, and we paid for it. Hopefully we can make up for it tomorrow."

More rain is forecast for this morning's race.

It was the second team miscall Hamilton, the 2008 world champion, has suffered in successive races after he labelled his second pitstop at the Australian Grand Prix which cost him a chance of a podium finish as "fricking terrible". "I wouldn't have done anything differently," Hamilton said. "It's a lesson learned again. What can I say, you've just got to laugh at it really."

Hamilton had shown his pace at a steamy Sepang circuit on Friday, going quickest in Friday's two dry practice sessions.

"I've been fastest all weekend. It's just so my luck but what can you do. You just have to shrug it off and tomorrow race my heart out again. Obviously I've got a lot of work to do."