Reverend
March 23rd, 2008, 10:38 AM
World champion Kimi Raikkonen kicked his title defence into life with victory in the Malaysian Grand Prix.
The Finn passed his Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa thanks to a stunning lap before his first pit stop, after which he dominated the race.
Massa spun out of second place, gifting it to BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica, with Heikki Kovalainen's McLaren third.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was held up in his charge from ninth on the grid by a pit-stop problem and ended up fifth.
That was one place behind the impressive Toyota of Jarno Trulli, who had battled for third with Kovalainen, only for the Italian to drop back with an earlier final pit stop.
Mark Webber's Red Bull headed Hamilton for much of the race but the Australian was leapfrogged at the final pit stops by the Englishman and Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber.
Heidfeld took sixth place, ahead of Webber, who held off a late charge from double world champion Fernando Alonso's Renault.
With the four points for fifth added to his 10 for winning the first race in Australia a week ago, Hamilton retains the championship lead. But Raikkonen is now just three points behind him, and the scene looks set for the intense battle between the two men that was widely predicted before the season.
The Finn buried memories of a chaotic start to the season in Melbourne with a drive befitting a champion. He qualified second to Massa, with a lap's more fuel on board, and, after pulling out of an attempt to pass him on the run down to the first corner, he tracked the Brazilian closely until he made his first stop on lap 17.
Raikkonen then put the hammer down, setting fastest times for each corner of the lap before coming in for his own stop.
His on-the-limit lap was just enough to ensure he emerged from the pits in front of Massa. And once in the lead, Raikkonen edged ever further ahead of the second Ferrari to make the race his own.
Malaysian Grand Prix Result:
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
2. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
3. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes
4. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota
5. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
6. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber
7. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault
8. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 14 pts
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 11
3. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 11
4. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 10
5. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 8
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 6
7. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 6
8. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 5
Constructors' championship:
1. McLaren-Mercedes 24 pts
2. BMW Sauber 19
3. Ferrari 11
4. Williams-Toyota 9
5. Renault 6
Full race report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7310226.stm)
The Finn passed his Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa thanks to a stunning lap before his first pit stop, after which he dominated the race.
Massa spun out of second place, gifting it to BMW Sauber's Robert Kubica, with Heikki Kovalainen's McLaren third.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was held up in his charge from ninth on the grid by a pit-stop problem and ended up fifth.
That was one place behind the impressive Toyota of Jarno Trulli, who had battled for third with Kovalainen, only for the Italian to drop back with an earlier final pit stop.
Mark Webber's Red Bull headed Hamilton for much of the race but the Australian was leapfrogged at the final pit stops by the Englishman and Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber.
Heidfeld took sixth place, ahead of Webber, who held off a late charge from double world champion Fernando Alonso's Renault.
With the four points for fifth added to his 10 for winning the first race in Australia a week ago, Hamilton retains the championship lead. But Raikkonen is now just three points behind him, and the scene looks set for the intense battle between the two men that was widely predicted before the season.
The Finn buried memories of a chaotic start to the season in Melbourne with a drive befitting a champion. He qualified second to Massa, with a lap's more fuel on board, and, after pulling out of an attempt to pass him on the run down to the first corner, he tracked the Brazilian closely until he made his first stop on lap 17.
Raikkonen then put the hammer down, setting fastest times for each corner of the lap before coming in for his own stop.
His on-the-limit lap was just enough to ensure he emerged from the pits in front of Massa. And once in the lead, Raikkonen edged ever further ahead of the second Ferrari to make the race his own.
Malaysian Grand Prix Result:
1. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari
2. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber
3. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes
4. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota
5. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes
6. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber
7. Mark Webber (Aus) Red Bull-Renault
8. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault
Championship standings:
1. Lewis Hamilton (GB) McLaren-Mercedes 14 pts
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Fin) Ferrari 11
3. Nick Heidfeld (Ger) BMW Sauber 11
4. Heikki Kovalainen (Fin) McLaren-Mercedes 10
5. Robert Kubica (Pol) BMW Sauber 8
6. Nico Rosberg (Ger) Williams-Toyota 6
7. Fernando Alonso (Spa) Renault 6
8. Jarno Trulli (Ita) Toyota 5
Constructors' championship:
1. McLaren-Mercedes 24 pts
2. BMW Sauber 19
3. Ferrari 11
4. Williams-Toyota 9
5. Renault 6
Full race report: BBC Sport (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7310226.stm)