Defending Formula One champion Fernando Alonso won the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off a challenge from Michael Schumacher.
The 24-year-old Spaniard, who led from the 40th lap, thwarted an attempt by Ferrari's Schumacher to overtake him after his second pit stop on the 57-lap Bahrain International Circuit.
"It was my moment. I knew if I was in front of him at the exit of the pits the race was for me. I pushed and a perfect pit stop from the mechanics. I was in front of him. Very close but in front," The Renault driver said.
Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren-Mercedes finished third after he started last on the grid due to car failure in Saturday's qualification.
Alonso's ninth career win came despite starting fourth, behind Ferrari pair Schumacher and Felipe Massa and Honda's Jenson Button.
The race began with Schumacher moving into the lead. Massa held Alonso off through the first turn, before the Spaniard squeezed inside seconds later to move into second.
Massa's tires locked and his Ferrari skidded as it went around the first turn on the eighth lap to just avoid a collision with Alonso.
"He overtook me for a tenth of a second. He passed really quick," Alonso said. "I was lucky enough to not touch."
Massa had to pit and the team had trouble with his rear wheel, taking almost 47 seconds to get the Brazilian back on the track, where he was 20th.
The next race is the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 19.
So far this season, Jimmie Johnson is doing just about everything right.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver has two victories and a second-place finish in the NASCAR Nextel Cup's three races.
Johnson was in the top five throughout the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400, but led only the final lap Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
"That was a lot of fun, but I know how aggravating losing like that can be," Johnson said after a late caution flag gave him the chance to catch and pass Matt Kenseth in a two-lap overtime sprint to the finish.
Johnson's No. 48 Chevrolet surged past Kenseth's No. 17 Ford on the outside after the two sped side-by-side through the third and fourth turns on the 1.5-mile oval for the final time. The winner crossed by finish line 0.115 seconds -- about half a car-length -- ahead as he led a lap for the only time in the race.
Johnson sympathized with Kenseth, noting he lost to Carl Edwards on the same kind of move last spring in Atlanta and then edged Bobby Labonte with an outside pass on the last lap last May at Charlotte.
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