Räikkönen reigns, Massa fails at Sepang

F1 Grand Prix, GP Malaysia, Sepang International Circuit

Kimi Raikkonen made forgetting his dismal weekend at Australia easy as he easily won the Malaysian race. He was 20 seconds ahead of Kubica and a further 20 to Kovalainen. Trulli is a magnificent fourth for Toyota while Hamilton is 5th in a disappointing race for him.

With very different fuel levels amongst the first 10 cars and with the McLarens 5 places backward, the start and in fact the complete first lap was a very tense battle. Both Hamilton and Kovalainen were very aggressive and immediately passed a heavily charged Alonso. Heidfeld was also quickly passed as he struggled in the first string of corners after battling it out with Jarno Trulli.

More in the back, Bourdais goes off after an incident and is out of the race, together with Timo Glock who got a touch in the rear and entered the pitlane to abandon.

Lap 3 is again a close figth with Alonso who aims to overtake Coulthard. Heidfeld can make the most use of it and passes both men in one move while Alonso manages to pass David one straight later.

6 laps in the race, Massa is just ahead of Raikkonen. 5 seconds down is Kubica, followed by Webber, Hamilton, Trulli, Kovalainen, Heidfeld, Alonso and Coulthard. Rosberg has fallen back the order as he had to take a pitstop for a new front wing.

While both Ferrari's are steadily pulling away from the rest of the field, Hamilton and Kovalainen are no threatening challenge to anyone. Hamilton is however close to Webber and obviously pushing hard, but he looks unable to really attempt an outright pass anytime soon.

So far, after 15 laps the track remains dry but skies do look threatening.

A single lap later, Webber is the first to enter the pitlane, leaving Hamilton with a clear track ahead of him. Mark is fitted with hard tyres and fuelled with 94 liters, good for approximately 26 laps. Massa follows suit with Trulli and Heidfeld.

One lap later, Raikkonen also pits and pulls off a Schumacher by rejoining the track just ahead of his teammate thanks to 2 blistering laps ahead of his stop.

Hamilton enters in lap 19 but suffers a problematic pitstop. His team have trouble fixing the front right wheel. When he is able to leave the pits again after 14 laps, it becomes apparent that his right front wheel fairing is not fixed correctly as it rotates along with the wheel. It is likely that Lewis will suffer inappropriate cooling of the right front brakes until his next pitstop.

21 laps in the race, Kubica enters from the lead and rejoins in 3rd place behind the Ferrari's and just ahead of Alonso. The latter is on a single lap later and rejoins in 12th position, throwing himself ahead of Barrichello.

Lap 32 marks the end for Massa as he again look to have put his right foot down too early in the midst of a corner. He spun off and got blocked in the gravel trap. Kimi by that time had already pulled away 6 seconds from his teammate. The event puts Kubica in 2nd, followed at distance by Kovalainen and Trulli right on his tail.

One must admit that Raikkonen is of a another calibre as he easily pulls away from Kubica. Just ahead of his stop in lap 38 he even records the fastest lap. Raikkonen gets the softer tyre in a clean 8.5 second stop. He leaves the pitlane in 6 seconds behind Kubica.

Lap 40, Vettel ends up in the grass with a blown Ferrari engine in his Toro Rosso.

Kubica pits from the lead in lap 43 and is third when he gets back, behind Kovalainen. Both McLarens at the time still have to pit, and the same goes for Coulthard. After all stops are completed, Kubica regains his second place, Kovalainen is third. Trulli is still a strong 4th, followed by Hamilton, Heidfeld, Webber and Alonso who is in for the last point.

Trulli still has to race for his place though as Hamilton initiates a final challenge, cutting away a full second per lap off the advange of the Italian. Alonso on the other hand is also putting the pressure down on Webber who is a mere second ahead of him.

Raikkonen hereby marks an easy win, largely ahead of Kubica. Trulli was able to stay ahead of Hamilton, similar to Webber holding his place bespite Alonso's pressure on him.