(Photo source: Sina)

Defending champion Fernando Alonso of Renault won the Formula One season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, holding off a challenge from Michael Schumacher.

The 24-year-old Spaniard, who started fourth on the grid, led from the 40th lap and withheld an attempt by Ferrari's Schumacher to overtake him after his second pit-stop on the 57-lap circuit to celebrate his ninth career victory.

McLaren-Mercedes' Kimi Raikkonen finished third after he started last on the grid due to car failure in Saturday's Starting first were Ferrari pair Schumacher and Felipe Massa and Honda's Jenson Button, and Schumacher took the lead when the race began.

Massa held Alonso off through the first turn, before the Spaniard squeezed inside seconds later to move into second.

Massa's tires locked and his Ferrari skidded on the eighth lap to just avoid a collision with Alonso. The team took almost 47 seconds to get the Brazilian back on the track where he was 20th.

Schumacher held the lead until the 15th lap when he pitted first to allow Alonso in front, and was back in first place by barely a second over Alonso by lap 24.

The pair were so far ahead of the field that the race would be decided on the second pit-stop. Schumacher made his second pit stop on the 36th lap, while Alonso waited until the 39th.

The three extra laps and less fuel to be put in gave Alonso a quicker pit-stop, and a front position for the last 17 laps.

Schumacher bided his time until the last five laps where he quickly moved to make an attempt to pass, but Alonso held him off easily and the German never threatened after that.

Raikkonen made just one pit-stop to be fourth with 15 laps to go, and took the third when teammate Juan Pablo Montoya had to pit.

Button was fourth, followed by Montoya, Mark Webber of Williams and newcomer Nico Rosberg, also of Williams.

Schumacher took his 65th pole position on Saturday to tie Ayrton Senna's record. It was his first pole since the Hungarian　　GP in 2005.

The next race is the Malaysian Grand Prix on March 19.