SEPANG, Malaysia, March 23, 2008 (AFP) - It was a very special Easter Sunday celebration for the Formula One-mad motor racing Finnish nation.

The sight of two Finns finishing on the podium in first and third places represented their best-ever Formula One result.

But the sight of Kimi Raikkonen's glum face and dull response to questions about the 'double Finn finish' left many observers wondering about his patriotism.

"For sure it is a good day," he said in his flat toned style. "But it would be better to be first and second."

Sensing his compatriot's reluctance to celebrate a national landmark, Heikki Kovalainen said: "It is good to have two Finnish drivers on the podium.

"I know some people think of it as the Formula One Finnish championship, but there are many other good drivers here!

"But I have no complaints about this and hope we do it again many times."

Finland's previous best Formula One results were at Monaco in 1998 when Mika Hakkinen finished first and Mika Salo fourth and then in Japan last year when Kovalainen was second and Raikkonen was third.