Fernando Alonso wins the Malaysian Grand Prix

Ferrari driver prevails in mixed conditions in Sepang ahead of Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton. Audio

Ferrari Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Spain leads Sauber Formula One driver Sergio Perez of Mexico during the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit outside Kuala Lumpur March 25, 2012. REUTERS/Tim Chong (MALAYSIA  - Tags: SPORT MOTORSPORT)
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Fernando Alonso took advantage of heavy rain in Kuala Lumpur to win the Malaysian Grand Prix and take the lead of the Formula One drivers' championship.

The Spaniard's Ferrari has struggled in the dry, but he drove superbly in the wet conditions on the Sepang International Circuit to triumph agead of Sergio Perez's Sauber and Lewis Hamilton's McLaren-Mercedes.

The race had been red flagged after nine laps as heavy rain made parts of the track into a lake.

The McLarens had led before the race was stopped and were at the front when the race restarted after an hour long break, but a delayed pit-stop for Hamilton dropped him back, while Jenson Button saw his hopes wrecked after he broke his front wing after hitting the back of Narain Karthikeyan's Hispania.

Alonso found himself in front, but was put under pressure for much of the race by Perez, who had started ninth, and moved up the order after pitting for wet tyres on the opening lap.

Perez got to within a second of Alonso in the closing stages as they moved from intermediate to slick tyres, but ran wide, losing ground, to give the double world champion some breathing space.

Hamilton finished a distant third, ahead of Mark Webber's Red Bull and Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus, with Bruno Senna's Williams completing the top six.

Button, who won the opening race in Australia, finished in 14th as a result of his incident, while Sebastian Vettel, the world champion was 11th after picking up a late puncture.

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