Malaysian Grand Prix... Kimi is Back..

Kimi is back and back with a bang.

The World champion failed to finish last weekend's season-opener in Australia but the Iceman's 16th Grand prix victory was sealed when he took the lead from team mate Felipe Massa who was in pole position for the Malaysian Grand prix. Kimi's victory has put Ferrari back to its winning streak taking a three point lead from Lewis Hamilton.

Massa had a tough race, he spun out of an easy second place on the 31st lap, leaving Robert Kubica BMW Sauber finish second, the best result of his Formula One career to date, and McLaren's Heikki Kovalainen was third.

For Lewis Hamilton, it was a race spent playing catch-up. He made a great start to jump from ninth up to fifth place behind the Ferraris, Kubica and similarly fast-starting Mark Webber in the Red Bull. But then a problem with the right-front wheel during his first pit stop dropped him down to 11th place, and he lost time hand over fist in the traffic.

Toro Rosso’s Sebastien Bourdais was the first retirement, falling off on the opening lap. Rosberg clobbered Timo Glock then, too, necessitating a pit stop for a new nose cone. The Williams continued, the Toyota was through for the day. Adrian Sutil suffered a mechanical problem that stopped his Force India out on the track, while Sebastian Vettel suffered either engine or transmission failure that brought him to a smoky halt.

The result leaves Hamilton still leading the world championship for drivers with 14 points, ahead of Raikkonen and Heidfeld on 11 apiece. In the constructors’ chase, McLaren lead with 24, ahead of BMW Sauber on 19 and Ferrari on 11.

Race Results
1 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari 56 1:31:18.555
2 Robert Kubica BMW 56 +19.5 secs
3 Heikki Kovalainen McLaren-Mercedes 56 +38.4 secs
4 Jarno Trulli Toyota 56 +45.8 secs
5 Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 56 +46.5 secs
6 Nick Heidfeld BMW 56 +49.8 secs
7 Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 56 +68.1 secs
8 Fernando Alonso Renault 56 +70.0 secs
9 David Coulthard Red Bull-Renault 56 +76.2 secs
10 Jenson Button Honda 56 +86.2 secs
11 Nelsinho Piquet Renault 56 +92.2 secs
12 Giancarlo Fisichella Force India-Ferrari 55 +1 Lap 17
13 Rubens Barrichello Honda 55 +1 Lap 14
14 Nico Rosberg Williams-Toyota 55 +1 Lap 16
15 Anthony Davidson Super Aguri-Honda 55 +1 Lap 21
16 Takuma Sato Super Aguri-Honda 54 +2 Laps 19
17 Kazuki Nakajima Williams-Toyota 54 +2 Laps 22

A1| Grand Prix| Narain Karthikeyan| India

First win for A1 Team India
Sunday, December 16, 2007


A1 Team India’s Narain Karthikeyan paid tribute to his superb pit crew taking his and the team’s first-ever A1GP race win in an incident-packed Feature race at Zhuhai International Circuit in China.

Karthikeyan was joined on the podium by New Zealand’s Jonny Reid, who started from tenth on the grid, and South Africa’s Adrian Zaugg, who finished third.



The 30-year-old Indian driver, who started from third on the grid, took the lead from New Zealand during the second pit stop window on lap 29. Despite a huge amount of pressure and some excellent racing from Reid, Karthikeyan held off the New Zealander’s Black Beauty racecar and crossed the line to score India’s first A1GP success.

After the race, a delighted Karthikeyan said: ‘The team has been working really hard at pit stop practices and they’ve done a really good job this weekend. Both the pit stops were excellent. Unfortunately I got stuck behind Pakistan on the out lap of my second stop, so I couldn’t push, but I came out just ahead of Jonny. There was a lot of pressure towards the end but then his tyres went off as well as mine and then we were equal - after that I just got the job done.’

Alonso| Fernando| Renault| 2008 F1

Alonso to partner Piquet at Renault for 2008

Fernando Alonso will race for Renault next season alongside Nelson Piquet Jr, it was confirmed on Monday. The move marks Alonso’s return to the team with whom he won two world titles and follows a troubled 2007 season with McLaren.

Piquet’s promotion from test driver to race seat means Renault will field an all-new line-up for next season - and leaves current stars Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovalainen without confirmed drives for 2008.

“I am delighted to be returning to Renault,” said Alonso. “This is the team where I grew up as a driver in Formula One. Now it is time for us to begin a new chapter together. I am very excited about working with this great team once more, and confident that together we can move back to the front of the field. Renault had a difficult year in 2007, but I know that the team has real strength in depth. I am confident they can produce a fast and competitive car and be back at the top in 2008.”

“Fernando and Nelsinho will form one of the most exciting driver line-up of 2008,” commented Renault team principal Flavio Briatore. “We are delighted to be welcoming Fernando back home to the team where he enjoyed his greatest success. His abilities as a driver and a team leader are well known, and we look forward to forging another strong partnership. What’s more, he knows the team well and how we operate; he will feel comfortable straight away in this environment.

Alonso, 26, previously drove for Renault between 2003 and 2006, during which time he scored 15 Grand Prix victories and won two drivers’ championships, in 2005 and 2006.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Brazilian Piquet spent 2007 as Renault’s test and reserve driver, after finishing runner-up in the 2006 GP2 series championship. The Brazilian will now make his Formula One debut at the 2008 Australian Grand Prix.

“First of all, I want to thank Flavio and Renault for putting their confidence in me for 2008,” said Piquet. “It is a fantastic opportunity to make my Formula One debut with one of the top teams on the grid, and alongside one of the very best drivers in the sport. This drive is something I have been working towards since the end of 2006, and I am proud that my performances as test driver have earned me this position. I am looking forward to teaming up with Fernando, and learning from him. As a rookie, there is no better way to start your career than to have a double world champion as your reference point.”

Briatore added: “Nelsinho is one of the most promising young talents in motorsport. After his success in GP2, he has spent a year learning the ropes as our test driver and getting to know the team; he is now ready to step up to the next level.”

Alonso and Piquet will be supported by Frenchman Romain Grosjean, reigning 2007 F3 Euroseries Champion and a product of Renault’s driver development scheme, in the role of test driver.