Raikkonen Celebrates 'Deserved' Win

Belgian Grand Prix winner Kimi Raikkonen said his team deserved their victory at Spa-Francorchamps after the completed their fight back from a devastating start to the season on Sunday.

Raikkonen kept his cool to stay ahead of World Champion Michael Schumacher and spoil his German rival's title-winning party as the Ferrari driver was stopped from winning for only the second time this season.

But the biggest post-race party is likely to be in McLaren's communications centre after Raikkonen raced their new MP4-19B car, introduced in France in June, to an astonishing victory.

"I couldn't have had a better result today and it is very good for the team and for me," said Raikkonen, who claimed only his second career win and his first since Malaysia 2003. "We have had a difficult season and when we got the 19B out we got some speed but we have still been struggling to finish. Now we have finally got what we deserved. Hopefully we can keep it up and challenge next year for the title."

But the race was not without problems for Raikkonen, who finished as runner-up to Schumacher in last year's Championship, and he was relieved to even make it to the finish.

"I got quite a good start but halfway through the corner I think Massa hit me on the rear," said Raikkonen. "The car felt really funny and I almost came in because I thought something had broken on the rear. But I kept going and there was only a little damage on the floor and I got past Michael after the re-start but after that when I got back I got some sort of problem.

"I was turning the switches all the time trying to get the car back and it wasn't easy to drive but it was quick enough to win. I knew the Michelins would work after the re-start and the tyres worked very well."