Ferrari One-Two at Magny-Cours - Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen won the 2007 French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours on Sunday, July 1, 2007, flashing across the finish line 2.4-seconds ahead of teammate Felipe Massa. For the Finnish-born driver, it was his second Grand Prix victory of the 2007 campaign, and the eleventh of his career. Assuming the last step of the podium was the mercurial McLaren rookie, Lewis Hamilton. Eight races into the ’07 F1 season, the British rookie has yet to finish a race without a podium place awaiting him.

When the red lights dissolved and the Formula 1 cleared off the starting grid, it was Massa with the holeshot, followed into the apex of the first corner by Raikkonen and Hamilton. In Hamilton’s mirrors, he could see Anthony Davidson and Vitantonio Liuzzi bent together in a smoking heap, their race run. Circulating the opening lap in tenth place was Fernando Alonso. However, thanks to Jarno Truli (Toyota) and Heikki Kovalainen taking each other out in the Adelaide hairpin turn, Truli finished out lap number one in P8. Alonso would then zap Williams’ ace Nico Rosberg, before setting out after Nick Heidfeld. While Alonso struggled to find away around Heidfeld, Massa continued to put French real estate between the rear end of his Ferrari and the rest of the field, leading his teammate by over four seconds as the race surpassed the ten-lap mark. The McLarens hit the pit lane on lap number 16, while Massa did the same thing on lap number 20.

As the race neared the 30-lap stage, Alonso continued to beat on Heidfeld, ultimately passing him on lap number 33. For all intents and purposes, Massa’s race was tuned upside down on lap 43 when he took too long to get up to speed following his pit stop, allowing Raikkonen to find his way in front of his teammate. From there, the Finn generated a two-plus-second gap, which he would hold to the finish line. When all was said and done, Hamilton was third, BMW’s Robert Kubica was fourth, followed by Heidfeld, Giancarlo Fisichella, Alonso, and — get this! — Honda’s Jenson Button. It was Honda’s first point of the 2007 season.

In the 2007 Drivers’ World Championship point standings, Lewis Hamilton stands alone at the top of the heap with 64 points. 14 points behind is Alonso. Ferrari’s Felipe Mass is third, and fourth with 42 points, was Sunday’s winner, Kimi Raikkonen.

Next stop: Silverstone and the British Grand Prix on Sunday, July 8, 2007.