SEPANG, Malaysia -- World champion Fernando Alonso won the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday to hand new team McLaren-Mercedes its first Formula One triumph since 2005.
Rookie Lewis Hamilton, F1's first black driver, added to the McLaren resurgence by finishing second ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who won the season-opening Australian GP last month.
Pole-sitter Felipe Massa of Ferrari was overtaken by Alonso and Hamilton on the first lap and never challenged the lead from then on, finishing fifth.
Sunday's win is the 16th of Alonso's career. The last time a McLaren won an F1 Grand Prix was October 2005 in Japan, when Raikkonen claimed victory.
In the first race of the year it was Raikkonen, Alonso and Hamilton in the top three. Nick Heidfeld of BMW-Sauber finished fourth Sunday for the second straight race.
Massa lost the lead to Alonso and Hamilton in the run to the first turn. The Brazilian went onto the grass on the sixth lap trying to overtake Hamilton, losing five seconds and two places.
Alonso, who took the world title in 2005 and 2006 for Renault, switched this season to McLaren, which had a winless season in 2006, its first since 1996.
The Spaniard also become the first McLaren winner in Malaysia since Raikkonen in 2003. Alonso started from pole position for that race at the age of 21, setting a record for the youngest driver to take pole in Formula One.
After taking the lead Sunday, Alonso quickly established a five-second lead after four laps, increasing it by almost a second a lap.
After 10 laps Alonso was cruising 10 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who had a slim lead over Raikkonen.
At the midpoint of the 56-lap race, Alonso led by almost nine seconds over Hamilton, with Raikkonen 21 off the pace. It stayed that way through the rest of the race with Alonso building up the advantage after the second pit stops.
Giancarlo Fisichella, last year's winner here, was sixth for Renault but more than a minute behind. He was followed Toyota's Jarno Trullie and Heikki Kovalainen, who replaced Alonso at Renault.
In the constructors race, McLaren now leads with 32 points after two races with Ferrari next at 23 points. Alonso leads the drivers standings on 18 points, ahead of Raikkonen on 16.
The next race is the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 15.
Fantastic job
"We did it, fantastic job, you deserve it, thank you so much," the 25-year-old Alonso gasped on the team radio as he crossed the line.
"It is a perfect result, a dream," he added later. "This is such a tough race and you never know about tires, but we were relaxed in the end. I lost radio communications from lap ten, like Kimi in Australia, so it is a lucky thing!
"But they fixed it and to win is absolutely fantastic and it is a wonderful surprise to achieve this after such a short time with the team. Everyone has worked so hard. So much has been done by the whole team."
Hamilton, 22, followed up his third-placed finish on his debut in Australia last month by becoming the first 'rookie' driver to score successive podium finishes in his first two races since fellow Briton Peter Arundell in a Lotus in 1964.
"That was the toughest race of my life," said Hamilton afterwards. "It was so difficult, so hard to defend. I ran out of water -- and now I feel overwhelmed!"
He said he felt almost over-awed by his fight to keep the two Ferrari drivers behind him during the early stages.
"To see two Ferraris in your mirrors behind you and to know they are slightly lighter and probably quicker than you - it is so difficult to hold them back," Hamilton admitted.
"Felipe (Massa) had a couple of moves to try and pass me, but, unfortunately, I was able to trick him into out-braking himself and then I was very fortunate to cut across and get in front of him again. And then he went off and I apologize for that.
"Then, Kimi was behind me for the rest of the race and I ran out of water and it was so tricky and it got hotter and hotter and I just kept pushing and concentrating on making no mistakes.
"The team did a fantastic job this weekend and I thank them for that - for preparing me and the car."
Raikkonen said: "Of course, I am happy with the points, but I am disappointed at how the race ended up - we just had to compromise on too many things. We lost too much speed. I hope we can turn the tables next weekend and fight to win again."
Alonso added: "It is very important for any driver to win his first race for a new team at a Grand Prix and to have wins with two different teams is something very special. It is a dream come true after my winning with Renault. I am proud for all the team."
Rookie Lewis Hamilton, F1's first black driver, added to the McLaren resurgence by finishing second ahead of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who won the season-opening Australian GP last month.
Pole-sitter Felipe Massa of Ferrari was overtaken by Alonso and Hamilton on the first lap and never challenged the lead from then on, finishing fifth.
Sunday's win is the 16th of Alonso's career. The last time a McLaren won an F1 Grand Prix was October 2005 in Japan, when Raikkonen claimed victory.
In the first race of the year it was Raikkonen, Alonso and Hamilton in the top three. Nick Heidfeld of BMW-Sauber finished fourth Sunday for the second straight race.
Massa lost the lead to Alonso and Hamilton in the run to the first turn. The Brazilian went onto the grass on the sixth lap trying to overtake Hamilton, losing five seconds and two places.
Alonso, who took the world title in 2005 and 2006 for Renault, switched this season to McLaren, which had a winless season in 2006, its first since 1996.
The Spaniard also become the first McLaren winner in Malaysia since Raikkonen in 2003. Alonso started from pole position for that race at the age of 21, setting a record for the youngest driver to take pole in Formula One.
After taking the lead Sunday, Alonso quickly established a five-second lead after four laps, increasing it by almost a second a lap.
After 10 laps Alonso was cruising 10 seconds ahead of Hamilton, who had a slim lead over Raikkonen.
At the midpoint of the 56-lap race, Alonso led by almost nine seconds over Hamilton, with Raikkonen 21 off the pace. It stayed that way through the rest of the race with Alonso building up the advantage after the second pit stops.
Giancarlo Fisichella, last year's winner here, was sixth for Renault but more than a minute behind. He was followed Toyota's Jarno Trullie and Heikki Kovalainen, who replaced Alonso at Renault.
In the constructors race, McLaren now leads with 32 points after two races with Ferrari next at 23 points. Alonso leads the drivers standings on 18 points, ahead of Raikkonen on 16.
The next race is the Bahrain Grand Prix on April 15.
Fantastic job
"We did it, fantastic job, you deserve it, thank you so much," the 25-year-old Alonso gasped on the team radio as he crossed the line.
"It is a perfect result, a dream," he added later. "This is such a tough race and you never know about tires, but we were relaxed in the end. I lost radio communications from lap ten, like Kimi in Australia, so it is a lucky thing!
"But they fixed it and to win is absolutely fantastic and it is a wonderful surprise to achieve this after such a short time with the team. Everyone has worked so hard. So much has been done by the whole team."
Hamilton, 22, followed up his third-placed finish on his debut in Australia last month by becoming the first 'rookie' driver to score successive podium finishes in his first two races since fellow Briton Peter Arundell in a Lotus in 1964.
"That was the toughest race of my life," said Hamilton afterwards. "It was so difficult, so hard to defend. I ran out of water -- and now I feel overwhelmed!"
He said he felt almost over-awed by his fight to keep the two Ferrari drivers behind him during the early stages.
"To see two Ferraris in your mirrors behind you and to know they are slightly lighter and probably quicker than you - it is so difficult to hold them back," Hamilton admitted.
"Felipe (Massa) had a couple of moves to try and pass me, but, unfortunately, I was able to trick him into out-braking himself and then I was very fortunate to cut across and get in front of him again. And then he went off and I apologize for that.
"Then, Kimi was behind me for the rest of the race and I ran out of water and it was so tricky and it got hotter and hotter and I just kept pushing and concentrating on making no mistakes.
"The team did a fantastic job this weekend and I thank them for that - for preparing me and the car."
Raikkonen said: "Of course, I am happy with the points, but I am disappointed at how the race ended up - we just had to compromise on too many things. We lost too much speed. I hope we can turn the tables next weekend and fight to win again."
Alonso added: "It is very important for any driver to win his first race for a new team at a Grand Prix and to have wins with two different teams is something very special. It is a dream come true after my winning with Renault. I am proud for all the team."
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