Kimi lives up to ice-man tag

KIMI RAIKKONEN lived up to his ice-man tag with the coolest of victories in Malaysia as the young ones announced their grand prix arrival in style yesterday.

The 23-year-old kept his composure to become the fourth-youngest driver in history to win a world championship event claiming his maiden triumph 83 days younger than five-time champion Michael Schumacher.

And 21-year-old Fernando Alonso marked his emergence by becoming the first Spaniard in 47 years to finish on the podium with third place for Renault, with Brazil's Rubens Barrichello separating the duo.

"I think both are future world champions I just hope I can win it before them," admitted Barrichello

after coming home almost 40 seconds adrift of the Finn.

Barrichello was left to carry the fight for Ferrari as Schumacher committed a mistake for the second race in succession after hitting Renault's Jarno Trulli from behind at the second corner following a battle for position with David Coulthard.

The German incurred a drive-through penalty to add to his unscheduled pit-stop for repairs and even though he still finished sixth it is his worst start to the season since he broke into F1 12 years ago.

"I made a mistake and hit Jarno and I have apologised to him," said Schumacher.

"That was the decisive moment so it came as a big surprise I was still able to fight for points."

Schumacher is one of five drivers lying equal third in the championship but eight points behind Raikkonen, who snatched the lead in the standings by six points from McLaren's team-mate Coulthard, who was denied a second successive win by a sparkbox problem.

Coulthard had cleverly escaped the early shunt that sent Schumacher onto the grass, Trulli sliding and pieces of wreckage bumping around the Sepang track to move into second place and on course to follow up his victory in Melbourne.

But within a couple of laps he was parking up his car in frustration and leaving the chase of pole-sitter Alonso to his younger team-mate who had started seventh on the grid. Alonso had become the youngest driver and first from his country in history to claim pole position, but he was on a lighter fuel load and came in earlier than his rivals.

Raikkonen inherited the lead and, unlike France last year when he slid on oil and handed Schumacher the title, or Melbourne two weeks ago when he drove too fast out of the pit-lane, he was not to be denied victory.

"I feel I have been a bit unlucky not to win last year or to win the last race," said Raikkonen, who triumphed in only his 36th grand prix 60 races fewer than it took countryman and McLaren predecessor Mika Hakkinen, who went on to win two world titles.

Alonso promises to be just as fearsome a talent after finishing third in only his 18th race and second for a major team having made his debut with Minardi in 2001 despite a fever which almost made him throw up on his warm-down lap. "The last 20 or 25 laps I felt quite bad and quite sick but just kept concentrating and pushing like crazy," said the Oviedo-born driver, who displaced Jenson Button after spending last year as their test driver.

Last year's winner Ralf Schumacher ended a difficult weekend which has been dominated by speculation surrounding his private life to finish fourth for Williams, while Trulli wound up fifth.

The Italian caught Button struggling with shredded tyres on the penultimate lap as did Schumacher senior, but seventh was Button's first points for BAR in only his second race for his new team.

Sauber's Heinz-Harald Frentzen completed the points scoring, while rookie Ralph Firman claimed his first grand prix finish with 10th place for Jordan having started last after running a much heavier fuel load in qualifying. "It's great to get a grand prix under my belt," said Firman.