Race Notes - Alonso-Hamilton 1-2 in Malaysian Grand Prix

Fernando Alonso won the Malaysian Grand Prix, at Sepang, today in his McLaren-Mercedes 17.5 seconds in front of his rookie team mate Lewis Hamilton. Third place went to Kimi Raikonen in his Ferrari 18.3 seconds further back.

Fourth place went to Nick Heidfeld in the BMW, followed by Felipe Massa in the second Ferrari in fifth, Giancarlo Fisichella in the Renault in sixth, Jarno Trulli in the Toyota in seventh and rookie Heikki Kovalainen taking his first point in eighth place.

Rubens Barrichello started his Honda from the pitlane after an engine change.

At the start Alonso passed polesitter Massa into the first corner, while Hamilton went from fourth on the grid to take second place.

At the end of lap 1, the order was Alonso, Hamilton, Massa, Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Kubica, Rosberg, Fisichella, Trulli and Webber in tenth.

On lap 2, Liuzzi stopped in the pitlane for a new nose.

On lap 3, Massa attemped to pass Hamilton, but Hamilton got the spot back - the two Ferraris hounding Hamilton while Alonso stretched out a six second lead after 5 laps.

On lap 6 Massa attempted to pass Hamilton again, but overshot the corner and had an off-track excursion, dropping behind Raikkonen and Heidfed to slot into fifth place.

At lap 10 the order was Alonso leading by 10.2 seconds over Hamilton, followed closely by Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Massa, Kubica, Rosberg, Fisichella, Trulli and Kovalainen in tenth.

On lap 11 Rosberg passed Kubica for sixth place. The next lap Kubica was the first to pit, along with Barrichello.

On lap 17 Massa pitted from fifth place, and Wurz - having climbed to 11th place, Speed and Sato, followed by leader Alonso, Raikkonen, Trulli and Davidson on lap 18 and Rosberg and Schumacher on lap 19.

On lap 20 Hamilton pitted from the lead, followed by Webber and Button on lap 21, leader Heidfeld and Kovalainen on lap 22, Fisichella on lap 23, and the last of the first-stoppers, Coulthard on lap 26.

At lap 25 the order was Alonso leading Hamilton by 10.8 seconds followed a further 10 seconds behind by Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Massa, Rosberg, Coulthard, Fisichella, Trulli and Kovalainen in tenth place.

On lap 27 Kubica was the first to make a second pitstop, changing his front nose, followed by Schumacher on lap 29, Wurz, Barrichello, Speed and Davidson on lap 34.

On lap 36 David Coulthard retired his car in the pits with a brake problem from 11th, while Liuzzi made his second stop, followed by Hamilton, Button, Rosberg and Trulli on lap 38, Kovalainen on lap 39, leader Alonso, Sato and Massa on lap 40, Raikkonen on lap 41, and the final stops of the day by Heidfeld, Fisichella and Webber on lap 42.

On lap 43 Nico Rosberg retired with smoke coming from his car from sixth place.

At lap 44 the order was Alonso leading Hamilton by 16.4 seconds, followed 6.8 seconds further back by Raikkonen, Heidfeld, Massa, Fisichella, Trulli, Kovalainen, Wurz and Webber in tenth place.

On lap 47 Kubica spun into a gravel trap - getting back on the circuit bringing a load of rocks back with him.

In the closing laps of the race, Raikkonen closed on Hamilton, but the order remained the same.