Alonso hails best team in world after debut victory for Ferrari in Bahrain

Fernando Alonso won Sunday's season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix to lead a Ferrari one-two on his debut for the Italian team. The Spaniard flew past team-mate Felipe Massa on just the second corner after the start.

Ferrari's Spanish driver Fernando Alonso holds the  trophy after winning the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at Sakhir  circuit in Manama March 14, 2010. Alonso won his Ferrari  debut with 1h 39m 20.396s. (Xinhua/Zhang Ning)

The Ferrari team were in a prime position to effect an immediate improvement, with Felip Massa second on the grid and team-mate Fernando Alonso just behind him.

Such a status quo did not exist for long - Massa making it to only the second corner before the Spaniard outstripped him.

Newcomer Nico Hulkenbuerg of Williams survived collision and eventually went on to finish in 14th place. Jeson Button and Lewis Hamilton had been off the pace in qualifying for McLaren-Mercedes.