Fisichella hails 'perfect race'

Giancarlo Fisichella ended a 12-month wait for a win by taking the Malaysian Grand Prix.

The Italian’s lights-to-flag victory was backed up by his team-mate Fernando Alonso for Renault’s first one-two finish in 24 years, with Jenson Button coming home in third for Honda.

Fisichella said: “It was the perfect race, it was a tough race physically, mentally because it was so hot. But I was quite confident and quite comfortable in the car.

“There was a little bit of a problem with my tyres graining after my pitstop but apart from that, it was great.

“I am just looking forward now. I’m really comfortable in the team and I would like to say thanks to them.”

After a fuel rig problem handicapped him in qualifying, Alonso was prepared to gamble at the start to make up places.

Starting seventh, he was third by the first corner, where he was able to consolidate before launching a series of quick laps that vaulted the world champion over Button by the time of his second and final pitstop.

“From the start, I tried to overtake people in the first corner,” he said. “It was a risk to brake so late on the outside, but it was my only chance to overtake.

“The car has always been good in Sepang and hopefully we will be competitive everywhere now.

“For the championship, 18 points after two races is what I dreamed about before Bahrain and I will try to win again in Melbourne and finish this period of the championship away from Europe as well as possible.”

A 12th-straight points finish for Button was little consolation for the Englishman, who had gone into the race with high hopes of ending his quest for a Formula One victory.

The 26-year-old maintained he had wrung all he could from his car, but that the Renaults were simply too quick.

“There was no point in the race where I could have gone any quicker. Scott Speed held me up for a few laps and Fernando was able to jump me in the stops,” he said.

“Apart from that, that was the maximum I could get out of the car. I was on the limit every lap, but it’s good to be on the podium.

“It’s been a tough weekend for us, Friday was very, very difficult, but yesterday and today were better. There is still a lot of work to do, though.”