Malaysian GP: Kimi and Ferrari bounce back in style

Sunday 23rd March 2008

In almost a complete reversal of events in the season-opening Australian GP, Kimi Raikkonen romped to a trouble-free victory in Malaysia while World Championship rival Lewis Hamilton endured a torrid afternoon.

While Kimi simply blitzed the field in a car that was in a class of its own, Hamilton could only finish in fifth place after a pit-stop mistake by his McLaren team. BMW's Robert Kubica grabbed second place with his best display to date in F1, but the day belonged to Ferrari's flying Finn.

Any suggestion of a Ferrari crisis after the debacle of Australia were put to rest by Raikkonen's awesome display of speed, particularly around the period of the first pit-stop when he managed to leapfrog team-mate Felipe Massa for the lead of the race. Massa tortured afternoon ended in ignominy when he spun off, denying Ferrari the 1-2 their speed advantage warranted and heaping yet more pressure on the Brazilian. Has a fatal flaw in his driving been exposed by the removal of traction control?

McLaren, too, have questions to answer after an undistinguished weekend. Hamilton, already struggling to keep in touch with the dominant Ferraris, was undone by a pit-stop delay that cost him ten seconds and the probability of a podium finish. Stuck behind the Red Bull of Mark Webber for much of the afternoon, Hamilton's frustration was compounded by his failure to catch Jarno Trulli and take fourth place on the final lap of the race

In contrast, Heikki Kovalainen had a trouble-free day. But tellingly, while he was able to secure the consolation of third place, he finished over forty seconds behind Raikkonen - a gap that will give McLaren plenty of sleepless nights over the next two weeks before the Bahrain GP.

Report: Pole-sitter Felipe Massa led the way after the first lap of the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Ferrai driver fended off the challenge of team-mate Kimi Raikkonen through the first corner before opening up a one second gap over the Finn, with BMW Sauber driver Robert Kubica close behind in third.

Mark Webber was fourth in the Red Bull, while McLaren's Lewis Hamilton had jumped from ninth to fifth.

The big loser was Jarno Trulli in the Toyota, who slipped from third on the grid to sixth.

Massa was still out in front by lap 10 as the two Ferraris were proving dominant in the early stages.

The Brazilian led Raikkonen by 1.6 seconds but was a healthy nine-and-a-half seconds in front of third-placed Kubica.

Hamilton was unable to exert any pressure on Webber in fourth, although he was beginning to catch the Australian, while Trulli was dropping back in sixth.

McLaren team-mate Heikki Kovalainen had gained a place at the start and was running seventh, while Nick Heidfeld was eighth.

Kubica had assumed the lead by lap 20 after most of the front runners made their first stops.

Webber was first to come in at the end of lap 15 before Massa followed a lap later, an 8.5 second stop seeing him rejoin behind Kovalainen.

Raikkonen then set the fastest lap of the race as he tried to make the most of his slight advantage before coming in shortly afterwards.

A 7.9 second effort meant he came out ahead of his team-mate in fourth.

Hamilton then stopped from second but a problem with the right front tyre saw the Brit remain stationary for nearly 20 seconds, compromising his hopes of a podium finish.

Raikkonen had hit the front by lap 30 and had established a five-second gap over Massa before the Brazilian beached his car after spinning at turn eight, ending his race.

That pushed Kubica up to second but 22 seconds behind the leader, while Kovalainen had crept up to third, a further 17 seconds adrift.

Kubica came in for his first stop at the end of lap 21, allowing Raikkonen to take the lead and he immediately stamped his authority on proceedings.

Hamilton was harassing Webber for sixth but could not find a way past the Red Bull while Heidfeld also joined the scrap, before the trio all gained a place as a result of Massa's aberration.

Kubica was back in front by lap 40 after Raikkonen made his second stop of the afternoon.

The Finn came in at the end of lap 37 with a 24.5 second advantage over the Pole and a clean effort saw him rejoin in second place, around six seconds back.

Kovalainen was still running a lonely third while Trulli had made his way up to fourth.

Hamilton was still tussling with Webber for fifth but Heidfeld had begun to fall away before the Red Bull pitted and the Brit at last had a clear track in front of him.

Raikkonen was firmly on course to claim victory as he led Kubica by 20.9 seconds after 50 laps.

The Pole had pitted for a second time at the end of lap 42 allowing Raikkonen to regain the lead.

Hamilton came in at the end of lap 44 and an 8.9-second stop saw the 23-year-old rejoin behind Trulli in fifth, while McLaren team-mate Kovalainen made his second stop and maintained third position.

Hamilton was taking chunks out of the Toyota's advantage as he closed in on fourth, while Heidfeld was running sixth, Webber had dropped to seventh and Fernando Alonso was in the final points-scoring position in eighth.

Results
01 K. R�ikk�nen Ferrari 1:03:18.555
02 R. Kubica BMW + 19.570
03 H. Kovalainen McLaren + 38.450
04 J. Trulli Toyota + 45.832
05 L. Hamilton McLaren + 46.548
06 N. Heidfeld BMW + 49.833
07 M. Webber Red Bull + 1:08.130
08 F. Alonso Renault + 1:10.000
09 D. Coulthard Red Bull + 1:16.200
10 J. Button Honda + 1:26.200
11 N. Piquet jr. Renault + 1:32.200
12 G. Fisichella Force India F1 + 1 laps
13 R. Barrichello Honda + 1 laps
14 N. Rosberg Williams + 1 laps
15 A. Davidson Super Aguri + 1 laps
16 T. Sato Super Aguri + 2 laps
17 K. Nakajima Williams + 2 laps
Did not finish
18 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso + 16 laps
19 F. Massa Ferrari + 26 laps
20 A. Sutil Force India F1 + 50 laps
21 T. Glock Toyota + 54 laps
22 S. Bourdais Scuderia Toro Rosso + 56 laps