Raikkonen wins in Australia on Ferrari debut

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen made a triumphant start to his Ferrari career with a pole-to-flag victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The 27-year-old, stepping into the seat vacated by the retired Michael Schumacher at the Italian Formula One team, punched the air with his fists as he crossed the line 7.2 seconds ahead of McLaren's double world champion Fernando Alonso.

It was the 10th victory of Raikkonen's career and made him the first driver to win on his Ferrari debut since Briton Nigel Mansell in Brazil in 1989.

McLaren's 22-year-old British rookie Lewis Hamilton completed a stunning weekend for the youngest man on the grid by overtaking Alonso at the start and leading his first grand prix for four laps before finishing third.

He became the 55th driver to score points in his first Formula One race and the first driver to step on to the podium on his debut since Canada's 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve in Melbourne in 1996.

Germany's Nick Heidfeld finished fourth for BMW Sauber, ahead of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella for champions Renault and Brazilian Felipe Massa in sixth place after an engine change forced him to start at the back of the grid.

Germany's Nico Rosberg put Williams in the points with seventh place, ahead of their engine suppliers Toyota whose Ralf Schumacher took the last point in eighth place.

Sunday's race was the first season-opener since 1991 without Ralf's older brother Michael, the seven-times world champion, on the starting grid but Raikkonen made sure that the new era opened with a red Ferrari at the front once more.

1. Kimi Raikkonen (Finland) Ferrari 1:25:28.770
2. Fernando Alonso (Spain) McLaren +00:07.242
3. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 00:18.595
4. Nick Heidfeld (Germany) BMW Sauber 00:38.763
5. Giancarlo Fisichella (Italy) Renault 01:06.469
6. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 01:06.805
7. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Williams - Toyota 1 lap
8. Ralf Schumacher (Germany) Toyota 1 lap
9. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Toyota 1 lap
10. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Renault 1 lap
11. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Honda 1 lap
12. Takuma Sato (Japan) Super Aguri - Honda 1 lap
13. Mark Webber (Australia) RedBull - Renault 1 lap
14. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 1 lap
15. Jenson Button (Britain) Honda 1 lap
16. Anthony Davidson (Britain) Super Aguri - Honda 2 laps
17. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Spyker - Ferrari 2 laps
r. Alexander Wurz (Austria) Williams - Toyota 10 laps
r. David Coulthard (Britain) RedBull - Renault 10 laps
r. Robert Kubica (Poland) BMW Sauber 22 laps
r. Scott Speed (U.S.) Toro Rosso - Ferrari 30 laps
r. Christijan Albers (Netherlands) Spyker - Ferrari 48 laps

© Copyright 2007 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.