The Hindu : Sport : Raikkonen leads Ferrari 1-2

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Raikkonen leads Ferrari 1-2

F-1 RACING / Hamilton third; now has eight straight podium finishes

— PHOTO: AP

I DID IT: Kimi Raikkonen has worked on the starts to emerge triumphant in the French Grand Prix on Sunday.

MAGNY COURS (France): Kimi Raikkonen led a Ferrari 1-2 with Felipe Massa at the French Grand Prix on Sunday, ending McLaren’s winning streak at three Formula One races.

Raikkonen, who won the season-opening Australian GP, won his second race this year — and the 11th of his career — after starting third on the grid.

It was the first Ferrari victory since Massa won at Spain in May.

“It’s nice, we (have) had a bit of a hard time,” Raikkonen said. “I kind of expected to have a hard time and don’t always expect to have good results.

“It took longer than expected. We knew what our problems were and the works are paying off now.”

The Finn timed 1 hour, 30 minutes, 54.200 seconds on the 4.41-km (2.74-mile) circuit.

Lewis Hamilton was third for McLaren. Robert Kubica, who survived an horrific crash at the Canadian GP and missed the following United States GP, which Hamilton both won, took fourth for BMW-Sauber.

Last year, Michael Schumacher and Massa led a Ferrari 1-2 in qualifications and the race.

Two-time World champion Fernando Alonso, who won the Monaco GP before Hamilton’s two wins, finished 56.5 seconds behind Raikkonen in seventh place after starting from 10th following gearbox problems with his McLaren in qualifying.

Hamilton now has eight straight podium finishes in his rookie F1 season — two wins, four seconds and two thirds — to lead the Drivers’ standings with 64 points.

Alonso remains second with 50, followed by Massa with 47 and Raikkonen with 42.

Despite morning rain, the track was dry for the start and Raikkonen had overtaken Hamilton by the first corner to be just behind pole-sitter Massa.

“Finally, the start worked for me and it helped a lot,” Raikkonen said. “It helps that we got a quick start and got that second place. We just improved our start system and it worked this time.”

Alonso seventh

Alonso had moved up to seventh by the third lap, but he remained stuck behind Nick Heidfeld’s BMW-Sauber until he pitted. At halfway through the race on the 35th lap, after the first pit stops, Massa was two seconds ahead of Raikkonen with Hamilton about seven seconds behind.

“I tried to keep up because I knew I would pit later,” Raikkonen said.

The situation changed after the 43rd lap. — AP

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