McLaren's Fernando Alonso won a thrilling and chaotic European Grand Prix yesterday while championship leading team mate Lewis Hamilton's run of nine consecutive podium appearances came to an end.

The double world champion's victory, after a wheel-banging thrust past Ferrari's Felipe Massa just four laps from the finish, left the Spaniard two points adrift of the British rookie in the standings.

Massa finished second with Mark Webber of Australia third for Red Bull. Hamilton finished ninth, off the podium and out of the points for the first time in the 22-year-old's extraordinary debut season.

He has 70 points, Alonso 68 and Massa 59. Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who started on pole position, failed to finish and has 52 points.

In a race halted in a downpour after four laps and then re-started behind the safety car, with Germany's Markus Winkelhock leading astonishingly on his debut for struggling Spyker, Alonso showed all his fighting spirit.

He took the chequered flag 8.1 seconds ahead of Massa, who left the Spaniard in no doubt about his feelings in a heated exchange before the two stepped onto the podium. To rub further salt in the scowling Brazilian's wounds, the winning team's trophy was presented to McLaren boss Ron Dennis by Ferrari's retired seven times champion Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton, who crashed heavily in qualifying on Saturday, skidded off on the third lap but kept the engine running and was able to continue for the re-start -- albeit a lap down on the leaders.

In the circumstances, his final position was still a magnificent result for the rookie, who set a series of fastest laps in fighting back from last place.

"It's a new experience for me, not having to find my way to the podium," he said.

(China Daily via Agencies July 23, 2007)