Alonso enjoys Spanish success

Fernando Alonso ended a seven-year wait to claim his second Spanish Grand Prix triumph to thrill his fans in Barcelona.

Ferrari and Alonso managed the strategy to ensure the 31-year-old took the chequered flag for the 32nd time in his career, in a race featuring a staggering 82 pit stops as Pirelli's degrading rubber again seemingly played too much of a role in the outcome for all concerned.

Making four stops, Alonso finished nine seconds clear of three-stopping Kimi Raikkonen in his Lotus, with the Finn having to settle for second for the third consecutive race.

Raikkonen has at least cut triple world champion Sebastian Vettel's lead at the top of the standings to four points, with the German in fourth as Ferrari's Felipe Massa completed the podium.

Despite their front-row lock-out following qualifying, Mercedes appeared to find reverse gear on their cars as Nico Rosberg finished sixth and Lewis Hamilton 12th and out of the points for the first time this year.

No wonder Rosberg and Hamilton had preached caution regarding their hopes for the race, because despite Mercedes' hopes of a cure for their lack of pace throughout a grand prix it never materialised.

Although leading for the opening 10 laps after claiming back-to-back pole positions for the first time in his career, the German was soon swallowed up after the first round of pit stops.

As for Hamilton, the Briton started to go backwards from lap one as he was initially outmanoeuvred by Vettel into turn one, and then by Alonso a few corners later.

Ultimately, it was Ferrari's pace that held sway, allowing Alonso to move within 17 points of Vettel who was 38 seconds down come the fall of the flag, with Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber fifth.

Rosberg managed to hold Force India's Paul Di Resta off for sixth, with the Scot again the best of the Brits for the second successive race as McLaren's Jenson Button came home eighth ahead of team-mate Sergio Perez.