Raikkonen steals Hamilton's thunder

Formula 1:  Finland's Kimi Raikkonen has won the French Grand Prix, leading Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa in a Ferrari one…

Formula 1: Finland's Kimi Raikkonen has won the French Grand Prix, leading Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa in a Ferrari one-two to end McLaren's winning streak.

McLaren's 22-year-old British rookie Lewis Hamilton was third but extended his championship lead over team-mate and double world champion Fernando Alonso to 14 points with his eighth podium finish in as many races.

Spaniard Alonso battled to seventh place after starting 10th due to a gearbox failure in qualifying.

The victory, from third on the starting grid, was Raikkonen's second of the season and 11th of his career. Ferrari's last one-two was in Germany last July.

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The Finn had not been on the podium in his last four races and was a hefty 26 points adrift of Hamilton going into what could be the last French Grand Prix at the Magny-Cours circuit.

He took the chequered flag 2.414 seconds ahead of Massa, who had started on pole position.

Hamilton now has 64 points, to Alonso's 50. Massa, who conceded the lead after his second pitstop on lap 43, is on 47 with Raikkonen fighting back into contention on 42.

Championship leaders McLaren had won the last three races, with Alonso triumphant in Monaco and Hamilton in Canada and the United States.

Poland's Robert Kubica, returning after a big crash in Canada last month forced him to miss the U.S. Grand Prix, finished fourth for BMW Sauber.

German team mate Nick Heidfeld was fifth, ahead of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella for champions Renault in sixth.

Briton Jenson Button scored Honda's first point of the season with eighth place, a relief for the 27-year-old who can look forward with greater optimism to his home race at Silverstone next weekend.