SEPANG, Malaysia, March 23 (Reuters) - Kimi Raikkonen proved Ferrari remained the team to beat by cruising to an almost effortless win at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday.
After a nightmare start to the Formula One campaign in Australia, where neither Raikkonen nor team mate Felipe Massa made it to the finish line, Ferrari had pace in abundance at the Sepang Circuit while rivals McLaren scrapped for points.
Raikkonen's 16th career Formula One victory cut Lewis Hamilton's lead in the drivers championship to three points and the Finn will be looking to build on his momentum in Bahrain on April 6.
"It's been a perfect week," said world champion Raikkonen.
"We have had a very complicated start to the season but I have certainly not lost faith in the team; we can still do
better.
"Overall we would have been happier if Felipe had been in second place but things go wrong sometimes."
Things do seem to be going wrong for Massa.
After hitting the wall on the opening lap in Melbourne, pitching David Coulthard off the track on lap 25 and retiring
four laps later, the Brazilian had been lightning quick in Malaysia qualifying and started from pole position.
But he lost the lead to his team mate after the first set of pitstops and then managed to spin off and leave his car beached in a gravel trap.
"On lap 31 I clipped the kerb at the exit to turn six and hit it quite hard and then I lost the rear end going into the
next corner," said Massa.
Ferrari will have to determine whether the error was due to the absence of traction control or Massa's lack of self-control.
"Obviously this has been a very difficult start to the season for me, but there is still a long way to go. Naturally I
hope to make up for this soon, starting with the next race in Bahrain."
