Race report:McLaren 1-2 in Sepang, Malaysia
McLaren returned to winning ways on a grand scale on Sunday with a 1-2 finish in Malaysia. Champion Fernando Alonso came in first, having gained the lead from polesitter Felipe Massa at the first corner.Rookie Lewis Hamilton came second and Ferrari’s...
McLaren returned to winning ways on a grand scale on Sunday with a 1-2 finish in Malaysia. Champion Fernando Alonso came in first, having gained the lead from polesitter Felipe Massa at the first corner.
Rookie Lewis Hamilton came second and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen a close third.
McLaren had a brilliant start with Alonso leapfrogging polesitter Massa and Hamilton moving past both Ferraris to jump to second from fourth by the first corner.
The British rookie then resisted many determined overtaking attacks by the more experienced Massa before the Brazilian overshot, and slipped to fifth, being overtaken by Raikkonen and Heidfield. Alonso in the meantime built up a lead in front of a second per lap in the early part of the race and Raikkonen took the attack to Hamilton.
By lap nine both Spykers were out and pit lane starter Barrichello passed teammate Button for 17th and Kubica and Rosberg battled for sixth and seventh but the BMW driver then went in for an early, and long, pit stop in lap 12. Fisichella moved to seventh. On Lap 11 Super Aguri’s Sato also overtook Button for 17th. Wurz passed Coulthard on lap 14 for 11th.
Massa pitted on lap 17, the first of the top five to do so and Alonso and Raikkonen followed a lap later. Alonso appeared to have communication problems. Hamilton took the lead with Heidfield second, Alonso third, followed by Rosberg, Fisichella and Raikkonen. Rosberg pitted soon after. Massa fell to ninth. Hamilton pitted on lap 20,. Rejoined third, behind Alonso, ahead of Fisichella.
Heidfield pitted on lap 22 and Alonso retook the lead with Hamilton following and flying faster than the champion. Raikkonen was third 20 seconds behind the leader, Heidfield fourth, Massa fifth, Rosberg sixth Fisichella seventh and Trulli eighth at the half way point.
Renault’s Kovalainen was just outside the points on ninth followed by Wurz, Webber, Coulthard, Barrichello, Button, Speed, Sato, Davidson, Liuzzi, Schumacher, and Kubica, the last three having been lapped. Albers and Sutil had retired. Coulthard retired soon after with brake problems.
The leading drivers continued to use the softer tyres after the first pitstops.
Hamilton was the first of the top drivers to pit a second time, emerging on the hard tyres behind Massa in fifth. Race leader Alonso pitted on lap 40 with Massa on lap 41. Raikkonen took the lead until lap 42, when he entered the pits. Alonso was back in the lead.
The top positions after the second pitstops were: Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen (six seconds behind Hamilton and gaining fast), Heidfield and Massa. Webber and Wurz battled for ninth place, with Wurz in front.
Rosberg retired on lap 44.
The Finn was 2.3 seconds behind Hamilton with four laps to go and continuing to gain, setting the scene for an exciting finish but Lewis held him off.
Alonso came a comfortable first, Lewis second and Raikkonen a close third. The other points winners were Heidfeld (BMW), fourth; Massa, fifth; Fisichella (Renault) sixth; Trulli (Toyota) seventh and Kovalainen (Renault) eighth. Hamilton set the fastest time at 1:36.701 on lap 22.
Rookie Lewis Hamilton came second and Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen a close third.
McLaren had a brilliant start with Alonso leapfrogging polesitter Massa and Hamilton moving past both Ferraris to jump to second from fourth by the first corner.
The British rookie then resisted many determined overtaking attacks by the more experienced Massa before the Brazilian overshot, and slipped to fifth, being overtaken by Raikkonen and Heidfield. Alonso in the meantime built up a lead in front of a second per lap in the early part of the race and Raikkonen took the attack to Hamilton.
By lap nine both Spykers were out and pit lane starter Barrichello passed teammate Button for 17th and Kubica and Rosberg battled for sixth and seventh but the BMW driver then went in for an early, and long, pit stop in lap 12. Fisichella moved to seventh. On Lap 11 Super Aguri’s Sato also overtook Button for 17th. Wurz passed Coulthard on lap 14 for 11th.
Massa pitted on lap 17, the first of the top five to do so and Alonso and Raikkonen followed a lap later. Alonso appeared to have communication problems. Hamilton took the lead with Heidfield second, Alonso third, followed by Rosberg, Fisichella and Raikkonen. Rosberg pitted soon after. Massa fell to ninth. Hamilton pitted on lap 20,. Rejoined third, behind Alonso, ahead of Fisichella.
Heidfield pitted on lap 22 and Alonso retook the lead with Hamilton following and flying faster than the champion. Raikkonen was third 20 seconds behind the leader, Heidfield fourth, Massa fifth, Rosberg sixth Fisichella seventh and Trulli eighth at the half way point.
Renault’s Kovalainen was just outside the points on ninth followed by Wurz, Webber, Coulthard, Barrichello, Button, Speed, Sato, Davidson, Liuzzi, Schumacher, and Kubica, the last three having been lapped. Albers and Sutil had retired. Coulthard retired soon after with brake problems.
The leading drivers continued to use the softer tyres after the first pitstops.
Hamilton was the first of the top drivers to pit a second time, emerging on the hard tyres behind Massa in fifth. Race leader Alonso pitted on lap 40 with Massa on lap 41. Raikkonen took the lead until lap 42, when he entered the pits. Alonso was back in the lead.
The top positions after the second pitstops were: Alonso, Hamilton, Raikkonen (six seconds behind Hamilton and gaining fast), Heidfield and Massa. Webber and Wurz battled for ninth place, with Wurz in front.
Rosberg retired on lap 44.
The Finn was 2.3 seconds behind Hamilton with four laps to go and continuing to gain, setting the scene for an exciting finish but Lewis held him off.
Alonso came a comfortable first, Lewis second and Raikkonen a close third. The other points winners were Heidfeld (BMW), fourth; Massa, fifth; Fisichella (Renault) sixth; Trulli (Toyota) seventh and Kovalainen (Renault) eighth. Hamilton set the fastest time at 1:36.701 on lap 22.