Raikkonen Surprised by Gap to Renault

Raikkonen overcame a tough wheel-to-wheel battle with Giancarlo Fisichella and Fernando Alonso to grab the lead at the end of the first lap - before pulling comfortably clear.

"I was quite confident we would have the speed, but you never know so you have to go for it and trust your feelings," he said. "In the end it paid off well.

"We thought they (Renault) would be similar to us, but now afterwards I think we have been very quick all weekend and we have quite an advantage in speed."

The only blot on Raikkonen's afternoon was a poor getaway at the start - which had allowed Fisichella to briefly grab the lead.

"I didn't exactly get the best start," he admitted. "I had a little bit of wheelspin and Fisichella got past me and Alonso alongside me, but I could him.

"Then on the first lap Fisichella ran wide on the exit of Turn Nine and with the Renault's quicker on the straight-line I was behind them going into Turn 12. But from the middle I could get first place."