![[ Auto Express ]](/front_website/images/ae_website_logo.gif){kind=logo}
Auto Express Car Reviews
Malaysian GP report
All the action from the second round of the grand prix season.
By James Disdale
25th March 2008
The ice-man Kimi Raikkonen kept his cool to triumph in the heat of Malaysia. The reigning champion put the disappointment of Australia behind him and guided his Ferrari to an emphatic win.
By passing team-mate and pole-sitter Felipe Massa at the first round of fuel stops, the Finn took a lead that he would never lose. He eventually finished nearly 20 seconds ahead of the second place BMW Sauber of Robert Kubica and 38 ahead of McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen.
Massa threw any chance of a podium place away after a driver error caused him to spin into a gravel trap.
In a reversal of fortunes, Lewis Hamilton had a miserable weekend by his standards. On the Saturday he and team-mate Kovalainen were demoted five places on the grid for holding up Nick Heidfeld and Fernando Alonso during qualifying.
The young Brit then made a flying start from ninth and was up to fifth behind the Red Bull of Mark Webber by the end of the first lap. However, the Australian proved very difficult to pass and Hamilton had to wait until his first scheduled pit-stop.
But there was disaster awaiting him when a seized wheel nut took valuable seconds to remove, and he emerged from the stop back behind Webber and eventually settled for fifth after passing the Red Bull at the final fuel stop.
Finishing in an impressive fourth place was the Toyota of Jarno Trulli. The Italian first duelled with Kovalainen for third, dropping back after an early fuel stop that left him to fend off a hard-charging Hamilton all the way to the finish.
It was also another successful weekend for the BMW Sauber squad. Kubica scored a career best second, while Heidfeld netted sixth place and fastest lap of the race.
Webber finally brought his Red Bull home in seventh, one place ahead of the Renault of two-time champ Fernando Alonso who claimed the final point.
Hamilton wasn’t the only Brit to have a challenging race. Jenson Button’s Honda could only manage tenth despite his best efforts. One place ahead of him was the second Red Bull of veteran Scot David Coulthard. Super Aguri’s Anthony Davidson eventually finished in fifteenth, just in front of the sister car of Takuma Sato.
But there was no such disappointment for Raikkonen. Speaking after the race he expressed his optimism after a difficult opening round: “It was a pretty easy race from that first pitstop really. We had quite a difficult weekend in Australia and we were not 100% sure it was going to be any different here. But everything worked perfectly. This is a good start to the season for us and we're in a pretty good position.”
The race for the championship is set to get hotter still as the teams now head to the deserts of Bahrain for the next round on 6 April.
By passing team-mate and pole-sitter Felipe Massa at the first round of fuel stops, the Finn took a lead that he would never lose. He eventually finished nearly 20 seconds ahead of the second place BMW Sauber of Robert Kubica and 38 ahead of McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen.
Massa threw any chance of a podium place away after a driver error caused him to spin into a gravel trap.
In a reversal of fortunes, Lewis Hamilton had a miserable weekend by his standards. On the Saturday he and team-mate Kovalainen were demoted five places on the grid for holding up Nick Heidfeld and Fernando Alonso during qualifying.
The young Brit then made a flying start from ninth and was up to fifth behind the Red Bull of Mark Webber by the end of the first lap. However, the Australian proved very difficult to pass and Hamilton had to wait until his first scheduled pit-stop.
But there was disaster awaiting him when a seized wheel nut took valuable seconds to remove, and he emerged from the stop back behind Webber and eventually settled for fifth after passing the Red Bull at the final fuel stop.
Finishing in an impressive fourth place was the Toyota of Jarno Trulli. The Italian first duelled with Kovalainen for third, dropping back after an early fuel stop that left him to fend off a hard-charging Hamilton all the way to the finish.
It was also another successful weekend for the BMW Sauber squad. Kubica scored a career best second, while Heidfeld netted sixth place and fastest lap of the race.
Webber finally brought his Red Bull home in seventh, one place ahead of the Renault of two-time champ Fernando Alonso who claimed the final point.
Hamilton wasn’t the only Brit to have a challenging race. Jenson Button’s Honda could only manage tenth despite his best efforts. One place ahead of him was the second Red Bull of veteran Scot David Coulthard. Super Aguri’s Anthony Davidson eventually finished in fifteenth, just in front of the sister car of Takuma Sato.
But there was no such disappointment for Raikkonen. Speaking after the race he expressed his optimism after a difficult opening round: “It was a pretty easy race from that first pitstop really. We had quite a difficult weekend in Australia and we were not 100% sure it was going to be any different here. But everything worked perfectly. This is a good start to the season for us and we're in a pretty good position.”
The race for the championship is set to get hotter still as the teams now head to the deserts of Bahrain for the next round on 6 April.
Pictures
RELATED OFFERS:
Cheap Car Insurance
Quality car insurance from the UKs top insurers. Start saving money today!
www.bewiser.co.uk- Advertisement -
Extra Info
Results
1. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari
2. Robert Kubica BMW Sauber
3. Heikki Kovalainen McLaren Mercedes
4. Jarno Trulli Toyota
5. Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes
6. Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber
7. Mark Webber Red Bull
8. Fernando Alonso Renault
Championship
1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 14 points
2. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 11
3. Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 11
4. Heikki Kovalainen McLaren Mercedes 10
5. Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 8
1. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari
2. Robert Kubica BMW Sauber
3. Heikki Kovalainen McLaren Mercedes
4. Jarno Trulli Toyota
5. Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes
6. Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber
7. Mark Webber Red Bull
8. Fernando Alonso Renault
Championship
1. Lewis Hamilton McLaren Mercedes 14 points
2. Kimi Raikkonen Ferrari 11
3. Nick Heidfeld BMW Sauber 11
4. Heikki Kovalainen McLaren Mercedes 10
5. Robert Kubica BMW Sauber 8
Social Bookmarks