Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen turned the Formula One title battle into a three-way fight down to the wire with victory in China on Sunday after McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton skidded out.

Hamilton's double world champion team-mate and closest title rival Fernando Alonso finished second with Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa third.

On an afternoon of delight for Ferrari and heartbreak for Hamilton, who had hoped to become Formula One's first rookie champion with one race to spare, the Briton's overall lead was trimmed to four points.
Hamilton has 107 points, Spaniard Alonso 103 and Finland's Raikkonen 100 after taking the 200th win of Ferrari's Grand Prix history.

"I'm disappointed for the team, the battle goes on to Brazil," said 22-year-old Hamilton, besieged by reporters on his return to the paddock.

The Briton started the race with one hand on the crown, needing only to win or finish ahead of Alonso and Raikkonen to become the youngest of champions.

Instead, at the worst of moments, he suffered the first retirement of an extraordinary season in which he has set a string of records.

Renewed threat
Raikkonen, whose cause had looked desperate only a day before, has emerged as a renewed threat to McLaren's hopes of a first title since Mika Hakkinen in 1999.

The final race of the season at Sao Paulo's Interlagos circuit on October 21 will see three drivers still in contention for the first time since 1986.

Alonso, who had said after crashing out in Japan last weekend that he needed a miracle to retain his title, allowed himself a smile but was still pessimistic about his chances.

"It was maybe not a miracle, but something similar," he said of Hamilton's misfortune.

Hamilton had led Raikkonen from pole position while Alonso lagged in fourth place after trying and failing to pass Massa for third at the start.

Neither of the leaders changed their wet tyres at the first set of pitstops, despite the tread being almost worn smooth, and Hamilton was already struggling to control his car before the second stop was due.

CHINESE GP RESULTS


    Driver                   Team          Time