Highlights

Normal service to be resumed in France, say Renault

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-05 11:50

LONDON, July 3 - Fernando Alonso's winning run ended on Sunday but Renault's Formula One world champion remained unruffled.

The 24-year-old Spaniard expects 'normal service' to be resumed at his team's home French Grand Prix next week.

While Indianapolis revived Ferrari and Michael Schumacher's title hopes, with the German celebrating his third victory of the season, Alonso was inclined to view the U.S. Grand Prix as a one-off.

"I am not worried for the next grands prix," he said after finishing fifth with his lead over Schumacher slashed from 25 to 19 points.

"Sometimes we can win, sometimes not. I am already looking forward to the next race, where I think we will see a more usual balance of competitiveness between Renault and Ferrari."

Bridgestone, Ferrari's partners, had clearly the better-performing tyre for a circuit that has never favoured rivals Michelin.

Even if they denied playing safe, Michelin were taking no risks on their return to Indiana after last year's fiasco when all their seven teams, including Renault, pulled out for safety reasons.

"The tyres we brought this weekend were designed to give us a combination of durability and performance," said Michelin F1 director Nick Shorrock. "We succeeded handsomely in the first part of our quest...but, for once, fell short in the second."

POINTS GAINED

Last year, Alonso left North America empty-handed from the races in Canada and Indianapolis but still won the championship at a canter. This year he departs with 14 points.

The Brickyard ended a run of four successive wins and 15 podium finishes in a row, but the Spaniard could live with that.