Saturday

1 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day We have breakfast at the hotel, catch our cab to Sepang and head straight down to the turn 14 grandstand. Moto3 FP3 is in progress.	2 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Maverick Vinales Spain, KTM leads Luis Salom Spain, KTM through turn 14 during Moto3 FP3. Salom finished FP3 in first while Vinales came third.	3 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Despite threatening, the rain stayed away all day and the temperature remained mild.	4 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Sam was a delight for the whole three days
5 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day It was great for me to get away and spend time with my son and grandson - three generations addicted to MotoGP.	6 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Next on the program is MotoGP FP3 and we get a reasonable view of turn 5. Not that I can tell from the photo but the lead bike is probably Jorge Lorenzo's because he likes to start first to get a clear track.	7 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Colin Edwards leads Dani Pedrosa who leads Damian Cudlin, Australia on a Paul Bird Motorsport CRT machine.	8 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day We return to turn 14 which is the closest you can get to the riders at Sepang. Nicky Hayden USA, Ducati.
9 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Bryan Staring Australia, FTR Honda. Bryan was a continual backmarker and scored only 2 points during the whole 2013 season.	10 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Jorge Lorenzo Spain, factory Yamaha	11 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Lorenzo is known for his high corner speed. He has altered his style to adopt the "elbows-down" style popularised by Marc Marquez and other Moto2 riders	12 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Andrea Dovizioso Italy, Ducati. Not a good year for Dovizioso as the Ducati continued to underperform. He finished the year as top Ducati rider however (in 8th).
13 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Nicky Hayden seems not to get off the bike as much as the others. Look at how high his elbow is from the ground.	14 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day "Crazy Joe" Andrea Iannone Italy, Ducati.	15 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Hiroshi Aoyama Japan, FTR. Aoyama was the last-ever 250 Champion in 2009 but, since joimg MotoGP, has not scored a single podium position.	16 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Yonny Hernadez Columbia, Ducati.
17 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Luca Scassa Italy, ART, standing in for Karel Abraham.	18 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Lukas Pesek Czech Republic, Ioda-Suter. This is a CRT bike and these were never competetive with factory bikes. CRT's were grid-fillers and 2013 was their last year.	19 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Bradley Smith England, factory Yamaha satellite bike. A satellite bike has slightly less features than a full-factory bike but the last time a satellite bike won was in 2006 when Tony Elias pipped Rossi for the win.	20 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Bradley Smith's team mate on the other factory satellite bike, Cal Crutchlow England. Crutchlow had a very good year finishing the year in fifth behind the four full-factory bikes of Yamaha and Honda. He finished ahead of the two full-factory Ducatis.
21 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Alvaro Bautista Spain, satellite Honda. There were four factory Hondas and four factory Yamahas on the 2013 grid. These were the only bikes with a reasonable chance of taking wins or podiums as the four factory Ducatis were totally uncompetetive.	22 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Claudio Corti Italy, FTR Kawasaki.	23 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Valentino Rossi Italy, full factory Yamaha. Rossi is nine times a world champion but this is his first year back with Yamaha after two disastrous years with Ducati. Despite his woes, he still managed to finish 2013 in fourth. He took only one win during the year - at Assen. He is changing his riding style to "elbows down" .	24 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Dani Pedrosa Spain, factory Honda. He is the best rider never to win a championship; most of his years have been spoiled by injury or freakishly-talented competitors like Rossi, Lorenzo, Stoner and now Marquez.
25 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Stefan Bradl Germany, Honda. Stefan won the 2011 Moto2 Championship. He hasn't done all that well in MotoGP with one podium and one pole position in his two years in the premier class.	26 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day The man to beat - the most talented rider in generations, Marc Marquez Spain, factory Honda.	27 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Dani Pedrosa finished top as he did in the two free practice sessions yesterday. The two Australians are near the bottom. The temperature is a mild 27°	28 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day We decide that this is the place from which to watch the race tomorrow - right opposite a jumbotron with views of turn 5, the main straight and the grandstand. Moto2 FP3 is in progress with Esteve "Tito" Rabat leading.
29 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Sam seems a little bored at the moment.	30 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day He was besotted by the racing and a joy to be with.	31 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Dean has a friend called Juan who works in Malaysia. He had paddock passes which he gave to Dean that allowed us into the paddock area. It was not long before authority swamped on us to ask where the passes for the children were. The secuity people were quite nice, no guns or handcuffs but insistant. Juan phoned his friend to sort it all out.	32 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day It turns out his friend is a manager in the Espargaro brother's team. He sorted it out and security quietly disappeared.
33 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day How different is this to the primitive mud pit at Phillip Island?	34 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day FP4 begins. Times in FP4 don't count so FP4 is just that, a 30 minute free practice session. Crazy Joe Iannone exits.	35 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Qualifying has changed this year. Previously, qualifying was 1 hour but riders only tried to set a fast lap time in the last 15 minutes so Dorna changed it to a 15 minute qualifying session for the top 12 called Q2. Alvaro Bautista exits pit lane.	36 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Dorna also added a 15 minute qualifying sessin called Q1 in which the top ten do not compete. The purpose of Q1 is to decide the final two riders who will progress to Q2. Michael Laverty Exits.
37 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day FP4 is a great idea because it gives all riders the chance to experiment with setup changes before qualifying begins. Andrea Dovizioso exits.	38 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Yonny Hernandez.	39 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Cal Crutchlow	40 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Bradley Smith
41 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Randy De Puniet France, ART by Aprilia.	42 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Bryan Staring	43 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Stefan Bradl. Unfortunatlely Stefan injured himself towards the end of this session and spent the rest of the weekend in hospital.	44 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Claudio Corti
45 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Australian visitors to Sepang are all so shy and modest. Many Australians, myself included, find it is nearly the same cost to come here to first world facilities than go to third world trash at P.I.	46 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Marc Marquez	47 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Colin Edwards	48 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Dani Pedrosa
49 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Pit lane closes for FP4.	50 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day These times don't count for much but it gives everyone a chance to experiment for Q1 follows in 25 minutes. Stefan Bradl fractured his lower right tibia after a slow speed fall at turn one in the closing minutes. As he slid towards the gravel trap, his right foot got caught in the astroturf at the edge of the track.	51 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day FP4 ends and Q1 begins 25 minutes later. The top two riders in this session progress to Q2 with the rest fliling the remaining grid postions (13-24) according to the times they set in this session. Lukas Pesek and Michael Laverty exit the pits.	52 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Q1 is a fifteen minute timed session. Randy De Puniet exits.
53 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Luca Scassa	54 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Danilo Petrucci Italy, IODA-Suter	55 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Bryan Staring	56 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Hector Barbera Spain, FTR
57 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Andrea Iannone. He finishes first in this session and progresses to Q2.	58 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Claudio Corti	59 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Damian Cudlin	60 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Hiroshi Aoyama
61 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Aleix Espargaro Spain, ART Aprilia. Aleix was the top CRT rider all year. He finishes second during this session and progresses to Q2.	62 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day The top two, Andrea Iannone and Aleix Esparagro progress through to Q2. The two Australians are at the bottom.	63 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day We have another 25 Minutes before Q2 begins so we visit the back of the garages.	64 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day This is the garage of Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez.
65 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day The garage of Bradley Smith and Cal Crutchlow	66 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day They both ride Yamaha satellite bikes leased from Yamaha but they are not part of the Yamaha-sponsored team.	67 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day These are the bikes Randy Mamola uses for his customer rides. The income generated goes to the Riders for Health charity	68 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day We go to the roof and watch Q2. Marc Marquez thunders down the straight. His top speed during Q2 was 327.5 kmh.
69 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day At a track this large, the riders usually have two attempts to set their best time but it requires a rear tyre change in between the two attempts	70 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day The lap time is around two minutes. This means they have an out lap, a qualifying lap and an in lap which takes about seven minutes but the qualifying period is only fifteen minutes	71 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Andre Iannoni begins a run with his crew holding out a board to relay information to him. Interestingly, the label on the board reads The Maniac JOE	72 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Honda staff monitor the progress of their riders. On race day they are joined by Shuhei Nakamoto, HRC Executive Vice President. Emilio Alzamora, Marquez' mentor, is at the right side of the picture.
73 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Riders return to the pits to change tyres. They are being lead by Marc Marquez and Dani Pedrosa.	74 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day There is a quick scramble while the Repsol Honda riders have their rear tyres changed. It is usual to change tyres rather than for them to use their second bikes.	75 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Pedrosa closest to us dismounts while Marquez sits on his bike.	76 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Lorenzo rejoins for his second fast run.
77 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Andrea Dovizioso and Alvaro Bautista rejoin while Dani Pedrosa gets a stop signal from one of the crew. The crew does not want their two riders to crash into each other.	78 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Marquez rejoins while Pedrosa must wait; probably FIFO (first-in first-out).	79 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Pedrosa now gets the signal to proceed . . .	80 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day . . . and rejoins the session.
81 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Rossi rejoins while Pedrosa looks carefully.	82 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Rossi ALWAYS stands on the footpegs to adjust his gear whenever he enters a track.	83 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day It's a really weird habit; he's the only rider who does this.	84 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Andrea Iannone comes in for a tyre change.
85 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Nicky Hayden starts his fast lap. He qualified eleventh; not too good for a full-factory machine.	86 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Marquez crosses the line to start his second fast lap. He is followed by Bautista and Dovizioso.	87 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Rossi starts his fast lap (top speed 323.3 kmh). He is followed by Aleix Espargaro who qualified ninth ahead of both factory Ducatis.	88 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Lorenzo finishes his fast lap. Surprisingly, he finished only fourth being displaced by Crutchlow.
89 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Rossi starts his fast lap.	90 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Bradley Smith and Marc Marquez receive the checkered flag.	91 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Aleix Espargaro pulls a wheelie as he receives the checkered flag.	92 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Parc Ferme is ready to welcome the top three qaulifiers: Marc Marquez (1), Valentino Rossi (2) and Cal Crutchlow (3)
93 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Iannone bypasses the pits having qualified in tenth, fourth row of the grid	94 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Top place qualifier with a lap time of 2 00.011, Marc Marquez. This was a new qualifying record for the Malaysian track.	95 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day His crew stand around to welcome him.	96 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Second position went to Valentino Rossi who was 0.322 seconds behind. In MotoGP this is a huge amount. Cal Crutchlow follows Rossi into Parc Ferme having qualified in third.
97 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Strangely, after being fastest in FP1, FP2 and FP 3 Dani Pedrosa could only qualify in fifth.	98 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Lorenzo returns directly to his garage missing out on a front row start by a considerable 0.219 seconds.	99 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day The absent Bradl was classified 12th but is now undergoing surgery as a result of his crash in FP4 . Colin Edwards took 12th spot as the next highest in Q1. At this point in the championship Marquez heads Lorenzo by 39 points.	100 Saturday 12 October 2013 - Qualifying day Then its back to our hotel for dinner and recovery. We have views of the Petronas Twin Towers and the Menara Tower.