Ferrari bounced back from its worst start to a
Formula One season in 16 years with victory for
Kimi Raikkonen in the Malaysian Grand Prix, but it was not all plain sailing for the Scuderia.
While the world champion cruised to a relatively untroubled win having passed team-mate, and polesitter,
Felipe Massa at the first round of pit-stops, there was another DNF for the Brazilian after he was pitched off the road at turn eight on lap 31.
Raikkonen thus headed home
BMW Sauber's
Robert Kubica, the Pole taking the team's second runner-up spot in as many races in 2008, while
Heikki Kovalainen overcame the five-place grid penalty he was handed for blocking on Saturday to reclaim the third position his qualifying pace had warranted.
McLaren team-mate
Lewis Hamilton had made no secret of his desire to recover to the podium after a similar punishment but, having vaulted to fifth in the opening laps, ran into problems at his first pit-stop when the front right wheel stuck and cost the Briton a valuable ten seconds. Having returned to the track behind
Mark Webber, the points leader had to bide his time on a longer second stint, before being rewarded with fifth place.
Ahead of him was
Jarno Trulli, the Italian again proving the pace of the
Toyota, while
Nick Heidfeld - hung out to dry at the first turn of the race - and Webber followed Hamilton home.
The final point was equally well-contested, but eventually went to
Fernando Alonso in the lead
Renault, who deprived
David Coulthard the chance to join
Red Bull team-mate Webber in the top eight.
Full report and result to follow...
