Race Notes - Raikkonen wins British GP

Seven days after winning the French GP, Kimi Raikkonen followed up with victory in the British GP at Silverstone. The race had to be started twice after Felipe Massa's Ferrari stalled at the first attempt. Second on the grid, Raikkonen was beaten into the first corner by Lewis Hamilton, who managed to stay ahead until making an early first pit stop. The British driver slipped back to third place after the first round of stops and was unable to retaliate, gradually losing ground through the remainder of the race.

Fourth place went to Robert Kubica, who drove consistently well and just managed to hold off the Ferrari of Massa, who raced hard all the way after being forced to start from pit lane. The only other man who was able to stay on the same lap as the leaders was BMW driver Nick Heidfeld.

The first attempted start is aborted after Felipe Massa indicates that his Ferrari has stalled. The field departs on a second formation lap while Massa's car is pushed away for attention. The Ferrari crew successfully starts Massa's car, which he drives to the end of pitlane, joining the Super Aguri of Takuma Sato, who has already switched to his team's spare car. Race distance is now 59 laps.

At the start Hamilton narrowly fends off Raikkonen's Ferrari into Copse, with Alonso holding third place. At the end of the first lap the British McLaren driver has a lead of 0.7 second over the Finn, with Alonso, Kubica and Kovalainen following. The first eight are completed by Fisichella, Heidfeld and Schumacher, who has lost several positions at the start.

On lap 4 Hamilton has eked out his lead over Raikkonen to exactly 1.0 second, with Alonso a further 1.3 seconds behind in third place. Kubica's BMW is 2.9 seconds behind, and gradually losing contact. The top eight remain in position, slightly strung out. Massa has fought his way through to 13th place, closing on Rosberg's Williams. Sato remains in 22nd and last place.

On lap 6 Coulthard joins the Rosberg/Massa battle and sneaks back to 11th place. The battle rages for another lap, until Massa asserts the superior speed of his Ferrari and moves into tenth place, 7.5 seconds behind ninth-place man Trulli.

On lap 8 Rosberg momentarily takes to the grass. Mark Webber arrives in the Red Bull pit for an extended stay, eventually retiring with an hydraulic failure.

On lap 10, despite setting several fastest laps, Hamilton's margin over Raikkkonen is 0.7 second, with Alonso another 1.0 seconds back. Kubica and Kovalainen follow, ahead of Fisichella, Heidfeld and Schumacher.

On lap 12 Fisichella passes his Renault team mate Kovalainen into fifth place. Massa sets a new fastest lap.

On lap 13 Raikkonen visibly closes the gap on Hamilton and challenges for the lead at the tight Brooklands left-hander. Hamilton resists successfully but the lead gap is down to 0.3 second.

On lap 15 Kovalainen makes the first planned pit stop of the race.

On lap 16 Hamilton arrives in the pits for his first scheduled stop: he lurches forward harmlessly just before he is signalled to depart. Also stopping are Kubica and Schumacher.

On lap 17 Sutil pulls off the track with his engine wreathed in smoke.

On lap 18 Raikkonen makes his first stop, with Alonso taking over the lead. Massa has climbed, briefly, to fourth place.

On lap 19 Heidfeld brings his BMW in for fuel and tyres.

On lap 20 Alonso makes his stop, narrowly holding off Massa (who has not yet stopped) as he rejoins.

On lap 21 the order has settled down with Alonso leading after the first round of pit stops. Raikkonen is 2.4 seconds behind the Spaniard in second place with Hamilton a further 2.6 seconds behind in third. Fourth place man Kubica trails by 13.3 seconds, ahead of Heidfeld, Fisichella, Massa, Coulthard, Kovalainen and the Toro Rosso of Scott Speed.

On lap 22 Ralf Schumacher arrives in the Toyota pits, where his car is withdrawn.

On lap 27 Alonso has stretched his lead over Raikkonen to 4.4 seconds, with Hamilton another 5.4 seconds behind. Barrichello and Button, both on one-stop strategies, hold ninth and tenth places with their pit visits still to come.

On lap 30 Wurz tangles with Speed while attempting an overtaking move. The Austrian is passed by Williams team mate Rosberg and continues. Speed heads for the pits, where he stays.

On lap 31 Barrichello arrives for his sole planned stop. Davidson's Super Aguri is pulled into his garage.

On lap 33 Button makes his single planned stop.

On lap 35 Alonso is holding the gap over Raikkonen to 4.6 seconds. Hamilton, hampered slightly by traffic, is slipping back and is now 13.8 seconds behind the Finn. Fourth man Kubica, however, is not gaining on the Englishman. Heidfeld lies fourth, with the resurgent Massa 3.4 seconds behind in sixth place, ahead of Kovalainen and Fisichella.

On lap 37 Alonso is the first of the McLaren drivers to make his second stop, allowing Raikkonen back into the lead.

On lap 38 Hamilton makes his second stop.

On lap 40 Kubica makes his second stop.

On lap 42 Heidfeld makes his second stop. Kovalainen repasses Fisichella for seventh place. Trulli's Toyota retires to the pits.

On lap 43 Raikkonen makes his second stop but is unable to return to the track until after Raikkonen has gone past, still in the lead. Massa is third, 7.5 seconds ahead of Hamilton.

On lap 45 Massa makes his second stop, yielding third place to Hamilton.

On lap 46, with the second round of stops complete, Raikkonen leads Alonso by 4.4 seconds. Hamilton, whose McLaren has been losing as much as one second per lap to his team mate, lies third, 28.3 seconds back but still comfortably placed ahead of Kubica. The Pole is preparing to fight off a challenge from Massa for fourth place.

On lap 55 Liuzzi pulls off in the Luffield complex and his Red Bull is pushed away by marshals.

On lap 59 Raikkonen crosses the line to win, 2.4 seconds ahead of Alonso. Hamilton is third, 36.9 seconds back, with Kubica triumphant over Massa after a close but incident-free battle for fourth. Heidfeld, 2.2 seconds back in 6th place, is the last unlapped runner. The Renaults of Kovalainen and Fisichella are separated by 4.7 seconds in seventh and eighth places, with Barrichello beating Honda team mate Button into 9th place.