Fernando Alonso has admitted that he did not expect to win the Malaysian Grand Prix earlier today.

Ferrari had struggled to produce a competitive car heading into the second race of the season, with a number of problems being identified during pre-season testing.

However, Spanish driver Alonso held off the challenge from Sergio Perez to take the chequered flag and claim maximum points.

"[It is] a big surprise to win today," Alonso told BBC Sport. "We were not competitive in Australia or here.

"Our goal was to score as many points as possible.

"We maximised the potential in our hands.The team deserve this win. It's a tough time for us at the moment but this is a Sunday we will remember."

Today's win is the third of Alonso's career in Sepang.