- Malaysian Grand Prix 2007
McLaren double spoils Ferrari's fun
David Addison
April 8, 2007
Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton celebrate a McLaren one-two © Sutton Images
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- Race:
- Malaysian Grand Prix
- Championship:
- FIA Formula One World Championship
- Profiles:
- Fernando Alonso
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- Lewis Hamilton
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- Kimi Räikkönen
- Circuits:
- Sepang International Circuit
A McLaren one-two threatened to derail Ferrari's season as Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton headed the pack home in Malaysia. Hamilton's result made him the first rookie since Peter Arundell in 1964 to score podium finishes on his first two outings in F1.
Alonso looked the stronger of the McLaren-Mercedes drivers throughout but Hamilton raced hard to move ahead of the Ferraris of Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa in the early stages of the race. After a quiet middle of the race, the Brit found himself on the defensive in the final laps as Raikkonen forced a way back onto the tail of the McLaren. They finished just a second apart with Felipe Massa fifth after he spun thanks to a chop from Hamilton - for which the British driver later apologised. With Massa having qualified on pole and Raikkonen third, it was a disappointing result for Ferrari.
Alonso's win wasn't without difficulties as his radio had stopped working after 10 laps and was concerned that the team wouldn't be ready to receive him for the first fuel stop. Team principal Ron Dennis took over control of the old-fashioned pit board to confirm all was well and Alonso was on his way to his first McLaren win.
Nick Heidfeld took fourth in the dependable BMW-Sauber, with Massa fifth after his spin. Giancarlo Fisichella was sixth for Renault while Jarno Trulli (Toyota) and Heikki Kovalainen rounded out the points' scorers. It was Kovalainen's first point in only his second grand prix, but this was rather overlooked with the storming efforts of Hamilton once again.
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