 | SPANISH GRAND PRIX 1 K Raikkonen (McLaren) 2 F Alonso (Renault) 3 J Trulli (Toyota) 4 R Schumacher (Toyota) 5 G Fisichella (Renault) 6 M Webber (Williams) 7 J P Montoya (McLaren) 8 D Coulthard (Red Bull)
|
Kimi Raikkonen is confident he can keep picking up race wins for McLaren after ending Renault's perfect start to the season with victory in Spain. Raikkonen denied championship leader Fernando Alonso a fourth straight win with a dominant display in Barcelona.
"I'm very happy for myself and for all the people who have been putting lots of effort into the car," said the Finn.
"This team has done very well. Everyone has been working perfectly so hopefully we can start winning more."
Raikkonen set up his victory with a string of fastest laps early in the race to leave Spaniard Alonso a distant second in front of his home fans.
It was Raikkonen's third win of his career, and the first time a Renault driver has not finished on top of the podium this year.
Raikkonen is now third in the drivers' standings on 17 points, nine behind Toyota's Jarno Trulli and 27 adrift of Alonso.
"The car was perfect all weekend and we knew we should be pretty strong in the race," said Raikkonen, who started from pole position.
"In the beginning I pushed and then saw I was leading so much that there was no point putting the car under so much pressure. I just kept the pace up. I didn't go full speed and won quite easily." Team boss Ron Dennis also believes McLaren are set to go from strength to strength.
"We're delighted with the win, but we're even more delighted with the nature of the win," said Dennis.
"We were extremely dominant. We're here to win and that's what we've done. I think we're going to keep this momentum going - we've got a very, very good racing car.
"I'm very confident that the additional improvements we've got in the pipeline will keep us ahead."
The only negative for McLaren was a problem with their refuelling equipment which led to Juan Pablo Montoya being forced to make an extra pit stop.
The Colombian, who was back after a two-race injury lay-off, eventually finished seventh.
"We're frustrated because Montoya could have come third," said Dennis.
"We had a nozzle problem but that's one of those things in motor racing."