Formula 1: 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.
The 27-year-old, stepping into the seat vacated by the retired Michael Schumacher at the Italian Formula One team, punched the air with both 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 he made it look as easy as a Sunday stroll in Albert Park in becoming the first driver to win on his Ferrari debut since Briton Nigel Mansell in Brazil in 1989.
"We didn't need to really push as hard as we could have," he said afterwards. "My biggest problem was the radio, it stopped working just before the start."
McLaren's 22-year-old British rookie Lewis Hamilton completed a stunning weekend 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 to step on to the podium on his debut since Canada's 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve finished second in Melbourne in 1996.
"I was ecstatic. I still am," he said. "I think this is probably beyond my dreams. Obviously to be in Formula One was a dream, but to go into your first race and have such a smooth start is something you don't expect but something we've been working towards."
Alonso, champion for the past two seasons with Renault, said he was happy with his McLaren debut.
"Obviously it's always better to win but today it was not possible," he said. "I think we can be pleased as well. The Ferrari was a little bit too quick for us this weekend."
Germany's Nick Heidfeld finished fourth for BMW Sauber, ahead of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella for champions Renault and Brazilian Felipe Massa in sixth place for Ferrari after an engine change forced him to start at the back of the grid.
Nico Rosberg put Williams in the points with seventh place, ahead of their engine suppliers Toyota whose fellow-German Ralf Schumacher took the last point in eighth place. Reuters