Raikkonen Takes Maiden Win in Malaysia

McLaren-Mercedes driver Kimi Raikkonen claimed his maiden victory in Formula One in the Malaysian Grand Prix with a flawless drive at Sepang to score the team's second victory of the season.

Raikkonen, denied victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix after speeding in the pitlane as teammate David Coulthard went on to take the win, came home a comfortable 39 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello.

The Finn ended his search for a Grand Prix victory and his McLaren-Mercedes team saluted him as he crossed the line to take the chequered flag - with team boss Ron Dennis in tears on the pit-wall.

Pole-sitter Fernando Alonso, nursing a sick Renault in the second half of the race, scored his first-ever podium finish for Renault after leading the race until the opening pit-stops. Williams-BMW's Ralf Schumacher, who started from 17th on the grid, impressively finished fourth while Renault's Jarno Trulli came home fifth ahead of Michael Schumacher.

World Champion Schumacher could only finish sixth after an eventful race including a drive-through penalty for his part in a collision with Trulli at the start of the race making it a total of four stops. BAR-Honda's Jenson Button ended seventh after losing two places to Trulli and Schumacher on the final lap after losing pace with his car.

Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld claimed the final points-scoring position in eighth as he held off Toyota's Formula One rookie Cristiano da Matta.

Villeneuve's BAR-Honda failed to start on the formation lap and ran into the garage to get into the spare but did not start the race, and Fisichella missed his starting box because of the absence of the Canadian and had to reverse on the grid.

At the start, Alonso got away well but Schumacher, attempting to fend off Coulthard for third, collided with Trulli at the second corner and caused chaos behind. Fisichella had suffered a slow start on the grid and was left trailing his rivals.

Jaguar's Antonio Pizzonia ran into the back of the Williams-BMW of Juan Pablo Montoya, who was forced to pit for a new rear wing and eventually came home a distant 12th place. Australian Grand Prix winner David Coulthard was forced to retire on lap three following engine problems with his McLaren-Mercedes, and Schumacher pitted for a new nose cone and fuel as a result of his collision with Trulli.

Minardi's Justin Wilson was one to benefit from the incidents on the opening lap as he moved up to seventh - and a points scoring position - after five laps. Ahead of him Alonso opened a five second lead over McLaren's Raikkonen with Sauber driver Heidfeld, Ferrari's Barrichello, Toyota's Olivier Panis and BAR-Honda driver Button in the top-six.

Schumacher was investigated for his part in the opening corner incident and race stewards handed the world champion a drive-through penalty. Barrichello took third place from Heidfeld at the third corner, while Toyota's Panis was forced to pull over at the side of the track following problems with his car on lap 12.

Heidfeld lost 23 seconds after stalling his car in the pits, and Jaguar's Mark Webber also lost time during his pit-stop on lap 15. Leader Alonso had pitted for his first stop on lap 13 and returned to the track in fourth place as Raikkonen took over at the head of the field. But the McLaren driver stopped on lap 20 for fuel and Barrichello moved into the lead.

Raikkonen, still searching for his maiden victory, got out of the pits ahead of Alonso and when Barrichello pitted the Finn regained the lead. And Ferrari's Barrichello could only take third after his stop. Jordan-Ford's Ralph Firman, running sixth at the time, completed his first pit-stop in Formula One and was fuelled up to reach race distance, but the Briton lost time after being unable to find a gear.

Ferrari's Schumacher, two seconds a lap off the pace of the leaders, pitted for the second time when running eighth -- amazingly one lap down. Raikkonen increased his lead after 29 laps to 15 seconds over Alonso, who continued to hold off pressure from third-placed Barrichello. Williams-BMW's Ralf Schumacher, Button and Trulli were behind in fourth, fifth and sixth respectively.

Michael Schumacher moved up to seventh, and in the points, with a series of overtaking moves, but Webber was denied a points finish when engine problems forced him to retire from eighth. Trulli missed the chance of passing Button and challenging for fourth place after re-fuelling problems during his second stop as he lost 20 seconds in time.

Barrichello then pitted for a second time and emerged second ahead of Alonso, with leader Raikkonen still to make his final stop. Spaniard Alonso began to struggle with a sick-sounding Renault, while Raikkonen made a solid stop to retain his lead following the pitlane speeding error which cost him dearly in Australia two weeks ago.

Michael Schumacher continued to make strides through the field and forced Trulli into a minor error to take sixth place 15 laps from the end of the race, with fifth-placed Button also in the German's sights. Schumacher made his move up the inside of Button at the final corner and immediately opened a gap in front of the BAR-Honda driver.

But Schumacher's hard-work was undone when he had to pit for a 'splash-and-dash' fourth stop to ensure he had the fuel to get to the end of the race and dropped back down to seventh again.

Pizzonia retired after spinning into the gravel at the final corner in the closing stages, becoming the sixth driver to exit the race, and Wilson joined him on the sidelines after suffering exhaustion. Trulli made an uncharacteristic spin at the final corner attempting to catch Button, but kept the engine going and managed to get his car back on track in front of Schumacher, who was unable to find a way past in the final laps.

But Trulli and Schumacher benefitted as Button lost two places on the last lap after losing pace and the Briton ended seventh.

PROVISIONAL RACE RESULTS The Malaysian Grand Prix Sepang, Kuala Lumpur; 56 laps; 310.408km; Weather: Hot and dry. Classified: Pos Driver Team-Engine Tyres Time 1. Raikkonen McLaren Mercedes (M) 1h32:22.195 2. Barrichello Ferrari (B) + 39.286 3. Alonso Renault (M) + 1:04.007 4. R.Schumacher Williams BMW (M) + 1:08.026 5. Trulli Renault (M) 1 lap 6. M.Schumacher Ferrari (B) 1 lap 7. Button BAR Honda (B) 1 lap 8. Heidfeld Sauber Petronas (B) 1 lap 9. Frentzen Sauber Petronas (B) 1 lap 10. Firman Jordan Ford (B) 1 lap 11. da Matta Toyota (M) 1 lap 12. Montoya Williams BMW (M) 3 laps 13. Verstappen Minardi Cosworth (B) 4 laps Fastest Lap: M.Schumacher, 1:36.412, lap 46 Not Classified/Retirements: Driver Team On Lap Pizzonia Jaguar Cosworth (M) 43 Wilson Minardi Cosworth (B) 42 Webber Jaguar Cosworth (M) 36 Panis Toyota (M) 13 Coulthard McLaren Mercedes (M) 3 Fisichella Jordan Ford (B) DNS Villeneuve BAR Honda (B) DNS World Championship Standing, Round 2: Drivers: Constructors: 1. Raikkonen 16 1. McLaren-Mercedes 26 2. Coulthard 10 2. Ferrari 16 3. Montoya 8 = Renault 16 = Barrichello 8 4. Williams-BMW 14 = Alonso 8 5. Sauber 4 = M.Schumacher 8 6. BAR-Honda 2 = Trulli 8 8. R.Schumacher 6 9. Frentzen 3 10. Button 2 11. Heidfeld 1 All timing unofficial