Australian GP 2007
MARCH 18, 2007
Race Notes - Raikkonen wins Australian GP
Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian Grand Prix, in Melbourne, dominating the race from pole in his Ferrari. World Champion Fernando Alonso finished in second place, 7.2 seconds behind, in his McLaren-Mercedes, while his rookie team mate Lewis Hamilton finished in third place, 18.5 seconds behind the leader, in his debut Grand Prix.
Fourth place went to Nick Heidfeld in the BMW, followed by Giancarlo Fisichella in the Renault in fifth, Felipe Massa from the back of the field to finish sixth in the Ferrari, Nico Rosberg in the Williams-Toyota in seventh place, and the final point paying position going to Ralf Schumacher in the Toyota.
Before the race Massa dropped to the back of the grid after an engine change, while Albers started from the pitlane. At the start Raikkonen led with Heidfeld and Hamilton getting past a slow starting Alonso, with Davidson stalling on the grid and then had contact with Sutil at the first corner but continued.
The order was Raikkonen leading Heidfeld, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Fisichella, Webber, Schumacher, Trulli and Sato in tenth, while Massa was up to 17th.
Raikkonen continued to pull away at the front with a string on fastest laps to lead by 8.1 seconds after 10 laps.
At 10 laps, with things stable up front and a battle for 13th place between Button, Barrichello, Massa and Coulthard, the order was Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Hamilton, Alonso, Kubica, Fisichella, Webber, Schumacher, Trulli and Sato in tenth.
On lap 11, Christijan Albers understeered through a gravel trap and crashed into the barriers, but was unhurt.
On lap 14 Heidfeld was the first to pit from second place, while Barrichello passed Button for 13th place, with Massa getting past as well two laps later.
On lap 19, Raikkonen pitted with a 15 seconds lead rejoining in third, handing over the lead to Hamilton in his first race. Barrichello also pitted on lap 19, followed by Fisichella on lap 20, Kubica on lap 21, Alonso and Webber on lap 22, Hamilton from the lead on lap 23, Schumacher and Sato on lap 24, Trulli on lap 25, Kovalainen, Rosberg and Button on lap 27, Coulthard on lap 28, and Massa on lap 29.
At lap 30 the order was Raikkonen leading Hamilton by 17.8 seconds, followed 2.1 seconds behind by Alonso, Kubica, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Schumacher, Rosberg, Kovalainen and Massa in tenth place.
On lap 31 Button served a drive-through penalty for speeding in the pits, while Scott Speed went off the track with a flat tyre.
On lap 37 leader Raikkonen laps his team mate Massa in 10th place, while Kubica slowed from fourth place and reitred in the pits with a gearbox problem.
At lap 38 Heidfeld was the first to make his second pitstop.
At lap 40 the order was Raikkonen leading Hamilton by 17.5 seconds, followed 1.3 seconds back by Alonso, Fisichella, Heidfeld, Rosberg, Schumacher, Kovalainen, Massa and Trulli in tenth.
On lap 41 Kovalainen spun, letting Massa take the eighth spot.
On lap 42 Raikkonen and Rosberg pitted, followed by Hamnilton, Sato and Webber (spinning on the pit entry) on lap 43, Fisichella and Button on lap 44, Alonso from the lead on lap 45 (getting ahead of his team mate Hamilton), Schumacher on lap 46, and Kovalainen and Trulli on lap 47.
On lap 47 Raikkonen had a bobble and locked up his brakes into a corner and briefly went off-course, but continued on in the lead.
On lap 50, Coulthard tries to make a bold passing attempt down the inside of Wurz and launched over the front of the Williams.
At lap 51 the order was Raikkonen leading Alonso by 13.8 seconds, followed 7.3 seconds behind by Hamilton, Heidfeld, Fisichella, Massa, Rosberg, Schumacher, Trulli and Kovalainen in tenth place.
The order remained the same to the line with Raikkonen taking his 10th career Grand Prix victory.