Highlights

Alonso leads McLaren one-two in Malaysia

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-04-09 08:56

RED BLOBS

Alonso, starting on the front row beside Massa, squeezed up the inside of the Brazilian at the first corner to take the lead while Hamilton forced his way past both Ferraris from fourth in another breathtaking start for the Briton.

Massa turned on the pressure for several laps before a costly braking error sent him bouncing across the grass.

"I think to see two Ferraris behind you, two red blobs in the mirrors, and knowing that they are slightly lighter and quicker than you, it's very difficult to keep them behind," Hamilton told a news conference.

"Felipe (Massa) had a couple of moves but fortunately I was able to trick him into outbraking himself."

After Massa slipped down the order Hamilton was able to open up a comfortable lead over Raikkonen in third, but the Finn came back strong in the closing laps, whittling away the deficit to less than a second.

Hamilton was made to sweat but held on to take his second podium place in only his second grand prix.

"That was the most difficult race I've ever had," declared Formula One's first black driver, who ran out of water halfway through the hottest race of the year.

"We worked extremely hard to make sure I was fit enough for this race. I drank and drank all day to make sure I didn't dehydrate."

Sauber's Heidfeld recorded his second fourth place of the season ahead of Massa and Italian Giancarlo Fisichella took sixth for champions Renault.

His rookie team mate Heikki Kovalainen scored his first point by claiming eighth spot while Toyota's Jarno Trulli finished seventh.