Sepang (Malaysia), Sep 30 (IANS): Ferrari team's engineers have decided to change the engine of F1 driver Sebastian Vettel's car before the qualifying session of the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix, due to start later on Saturday.

The Italian team confirmed that the engine of Vettel's car will be replaced after the German driver suffered a problem at the end of the Malaysian Grand Prix third free practice, in which he finished second, reports Efe news agency. 

"Towards the end of the session, there was an electronic malfunction on Seb's car and the engineers decided to change the internal combustion engine on his car as a precaution," Ferrari said on its official website.

Vettel will not be penalised for the engine change, because it would be within the number allowed over the same season, according to the Italian team.

Vettel, who holds the second place behind the world championship leader Mercedes's Lewis Hamilton, had to return to the garage at low speed to check the detected malfunction with just over four minutes remaining in the third free practice.

Earlier Saturday, Ferrari's drivers maintained their dominance of the free practice sessions of the Malaysian Grand Prix after winning the third session.

Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari was the fastest in Saturday's third free practice after covering the Sepang Circuit in one minute and 31.880 seconds, ahead of Vettel, who won the second practice on Friday.