Finland's Kimi Raikkonen made a triumphant start to his Ferrari career with a pole-to-flag victory in the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Sunday. The 27-year-old, stepping into the seat vacated by the retired Michael Schumacher at the Italian Formula One team, punched the air with both fists as he crossed the line 7.2 seconds ahead of McLaren's double world champion Fernando Alonso.
It was the 10th victory of Raikkonen's career and he made it look as easy as a Sunday stroll in Albert Park in becoming the first driver to win on his Ferrari debut since Briton Nigel Mansell in Brazil in 1989.
"We didn't need to really push as hard as we could have," he told reporters.
"My biggest problem was the radio, it stopped working just before the start."
McLaren's 22-year-old British rookie Lewis Hamilton completed a stunning weekend for the youngest man on the grid by overtaking Alonso at the start and leading his first grand prix for four laps before finishing third.