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Ferrari serve notice on foes

SILVERSTONE - Kimi Raikkonen confirmed his and Ferrari's return to form with a dazzling triumph in yesterday's British Grand Prix as home hero Lewis Hamilton struggled home third to claim his ninth consecutive podium finish.

SILVERSTONE - Kimi Raikkonen confirmed his and Ferrari's return to form with a dazzling triumph in yesterday's British Grand Prix as home hero Lewis Hamilton struggled home third to claim his ninth consecutive podium finish.

The 27-year-old Finn took full advantage of Ferrari's excellent strategy and tyre problems that slowed both Hamilton and his McLaren Mercedes teammate and defending champion Fernando Alonso, who came home second.

It was Raikkonen's first victory in the British race, his second in succession, his third this season and the 12th of his career.

"Everything worked well, the tyres were good and the car was great all weekend," said Raikkonen.

"I had the right strategy and it all worked well for me. I stayed out when I had to and it all worked out for me.

"After having a few attempts to win here and things always happening, it is nice for me to win at last. It is one of the great races to win and for me it feels really good. It is a long championship, there is a long way to go and I am looking forward to the next race."

After nine of this year's 17 races, Hamilton, the 22-year-old British rookie, has the lead with an advantage of only 12 points ahead of Alonso while McLaren lead Ferrari by 25 points in the constructors' championship.

After two successive wins, Ferrari have regained the momentum and put the pressure back on McLaren whose team chief Ron Dennis admitted: "We are glad to have gone home from here with a decent collection of points. We had some problems including making the wrong tyre choice."

Alonso, happier to be back ahead of young tyro Hamilton who extended his extraordinary record start to the season to nine successive podiums, conceded that second was the best he could have expected. - Reuters

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