Sepang, Malaysia - BMW-Sauber on Saturday joined three other Formula One teams in an official protest against the diffusers used by Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams.

BMW handed over the relevant documents to officials from the ruling body FIA after the day's qualifying session for the Malaysian Grand Prix.

"This is merely a formal act," said BMW motorsport chief Mario Theissen as BMW joined the appeals of Ferrari, Red Bull and Renault.

Sepang, Malaysia - Nico Rosberg was a familiar leader in the final practice session on Saturday for the Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix.

The German Rosberg clocked 1 minute 35.940 seconds for the 5.543-kilometres lap in Sepang in a Williams. He led from Australian Red Bull driver Mark Webber (1:36.048) and Brazilian Felipe Massa in a Ferrari (1:36.089).

Rosberg has topped five of the six practice sessions this season, all three last week in Australia and two of the three in Sepang. Finnish Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen was first the second Malaysian session on Friday.

Kuala Lumpur  - Malaysia's former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad rejoined the ruling party Saturday, one year after he quit following a falling out with his successor.

Mahathir's decision to rejoin the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) came a day after Najib Razak was sworn in as new prime minister.

Najib took over from Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, who had been Mahathir's chosen successor after he retired in October 2003.

Kuala Lumpur, Apr. 10 : The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has urged the federal government to release the other three Hindu Rights Action Front (HINDRAF) members, who were detained under Internal Security Act in 2007.

MIC president S. Samy Vellu was quoted by The Star as saying: "We thank the Government and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak for releasing two ISA detainees associated with the banned HINDRAF movement."

Sepang, Malaysia  - Brawn GP driver Rubens Barrichello will lose five places on the starting grid for Sunday's Malaysian Formula One Grand Prix over a gearbox change.

The ruling body FIA announced the sanction after the gearbox was changed on Barrichello's car after Friday practice. Under F1 rules a gearbox must last four races before it can be replaced without sanctions.

Barrichello finished second behind team-mate Jenson Button at the season-opener on Sunday in Melbourne, Australia. The punishment means he will be no better than sixth on the grid in Sepang, depending on his qualifying result on Saturday.

Sepang, Malaysia - McLaren sports director Dave Ryan was suspended on Friday in the wake of incidents that led to Lewis Hamilton's disqualification from the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

Hamilton was deemed to have given race stewards "deliberately misleading" evidence in connection with an overtaking move concerning him and Toyota's Jarno Trulli during a safety car phase in Sunday's Melbourne race.

Ryan, 54, had been with the world champion Hamilton at the hearings by the ruling body FIA in Melbourne.