WILL Stevens was forced to sit out the Malaysian Grand Prix today as his Manor team failed to rectify a problem with the car that initially ruled him out of qualifying.

A fuel pressure issue sidelined the 23-year-old Rochford-born driver throughout qualifying yesterday.

But Stevens, who lived in Hadleigh until he was 14, was given dispensation to start the race by the stewards as his times in practice were of a respectable standard, and he would have lined up 20th and last on the grid.

However, despite strenuous efforts by the South Yorkshire-based marque to correct the fault, they were ultimately been beaten.

A team tweet read: "Sadly Will is unable to start today's race as we have not been able to get on top of the fuel system problem from yesterday."

It means Stevens has yet to compete in a qualifying session or race this year as Manor failed to run in the season-opening grand prix in Australia due to IT infrastructure woes just weeks after they were saved from administration.

Via Twitter, Stevens said: "Disappointed not to be out there racing today as I felt good all weekend. Onwards and upwards!! #needaluckycharm."

There was some good news for Manor though as Steven's team-mate Roberto Merhi completed the race in last place.

The Spaniard had started the race in 19th place and was lapped by the top seven runners at Sepang.

Ferrari came out of the doldrums as Sebastian Vettel ended the famous marque's 34-race drought without a victory by taking a well-deserved chequered flag in Malaysia.

The four-times champion, who went through the 2014 campaign without a victory in his final year with Red Bull, finished 8.5 seconds ahead of current champion Lewis Hamilton, with the Briton's Mercedes team-mate Nico Rosberg third.

Jenson Button, the other British driver in the race, retired on lap 41. He McLaren team had struggled all weekend in Kuala Lumpur and Button qualified way down the grid in 17th place.