Giancarlo Fisichella admitted he was helpless as McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen flew past him on the final lap to snatch the win in the Japanese GP. Renault's Fisichella, who started from third on the grid, led by 19 seconds at one stage but was overhauled by Raikkonen, who began from 17th.
"Losing the first place was not great but Kimi was flying," said Fisichella.
"He was just quicker than us as usual. I am a little bit disappointed but I did my best."
Despite Raikkonen's seventh Grand Prix win this season, Renault moved two points in front of McLaren in the constructors' championship, helped by a third place from world champion Fernando Alonso.
 |  It is much nicer when you have to fight for it |
McLaren were hampered when Juan Pablo Montoya was run off the track by Jacques Villeneuve on the opening lap.
"What a disappointment," said the Colombian. "I would have liked to have taken part in this exciting race which I watched from the pit wall.
"I was 100% beside him and he just pushed me and pushed me until I was in the grass.
"We probably could have had a one-two which would have been fantastic."
Villenuve said: "I looked to the right and I looked to the left and he wasn't next to me. He decided not to lift and at some point he ran out of road. I've no idea what happened."
Raikkonen hailed his victory as "one of his best ever" after powering past Fisichella at 180mph on the first corner of the final lap.
"Considering all the problems we have had here to come away with a win is fantastic," said Raikkonen, who was docked 10 places on the grid after an engine change on Friday.
| I had no need to take care about anything so I really went for it |
"It was much more difficult than any other of my wins but in one way it is much nicer when you have to fight for it. So it is one of the best ones."
Alonso demonstrated why he is the world champion with a series of breathtaking passing manoeuvres, notably twice to overtake former champion Michael Schumacher.
"I had no need to take care about anything so I really went for it," said Alonso.
"It was good, but I think the strategy this time did not work too good for us. We had an extremely competitive car, I felt quicker than Kimi today for the first time in the last part of the championship.
"Unfortunately I was not able to beat him because before my first stop I was in front of him by a long way and because of the stops and the traffic I was third at the end, but its okay and it is good for the constructors."
MMIX
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