Räikkönen sweats his way to first podium finish in Bahrain

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Kimi Räikkönen's Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix was more about perspiration than inspiration. The McLaren driver managed more or less to keep his cool in the 40-degree heat and pulled himself up from a disappointing 9th place on the starting grid to finish 3rd behind Renault's Fernando Alonso and Toyota's Jarno Trulli.
      It was Räikkönen's first appearance on the podium this season, but his colleagues were rather more familiar with the occasion: Alonso leads the drivers' standings with 26 points from two wins and one third place finish, while Jarno Trulli (whose Finnish connection is noted in the article below) was also 2nd in Malaysia.
     
Both the McLarens performed well, with Räikkönen's temporary team-mate Pedro de la Rosa finishing in 5th place. The Spaniard, who was deputising for the injured Juan Pablo Montoya, actually sprang an upset in qualifying, by going faster than his Finnish colleague. He started from 8th position on the grid, and he also set the fastest lap during the race itself.
      Räikkönen moved up into 7th spot on the first lap and gradually improved his position through some well-timed pitstops and as other drivers - including Ferrari's Michael Schumacher - went out with mechanical problems or after spinning off. The Ferrari showing was less than impressive, despite the appearance of a new car. Schumacher's team-mate Ruben Barrichello finished out of the points in 9th.
      Räikkönen's six points in Bahrain put him up into 8th place in the drivers' table, although it is relatively tight behind Alonso and Trulli, and 3rd-placed Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault) is only three points away on ten points.
      The GP circus now moves to the slightly cooler environment of Imola in Italy on April 24th.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Ossi Oikarinen's job is to make Jarno Trulli quick and keep him that way (18.1.2005)

Links:
  Formula One Official Website

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