Formula 1- Alonso Takes Bahrain GP, 2nd Win of Year

SAKHIR, Bahrain April 3, 2005; Salvatore Zanca writing for the AP reported that a new driver and new team are ruling Formula One: Renault's Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard led almost from start to finish Sunday to win the Bahrain Grand Prix, giving Renault three victories in three races this season.

Ferrari and Michael Schumacher are usually the ones in command. But Schumacher struggled again, dropping out after just 12 laps in his new Ferrari. The seven-time Formula One champion is off to his worst start in years.

"It shows we are the car to beat," said Alonso, who won in Malaysia two weeks ago, with teammate Giancarlo Fisichella taking the season opener.

Alonso, on the pole for the second straight race, leads the drivers' standings with 26 points. This was his third career victory, the other coming in Hungary in 2003.

Jarno Trulli was second in a Toyota, finishing 13.4 seconds back on a day when track temperatures exceeded 131 degrees. Kimi Raikkonen was third in a McLaren-Mercedes, 32 seconds behind.

The nose cones of Ferrari's two cars were black in a sign of mourning for Pope John Paul II, who died Saturday night. The top finishers did not spray champagne on the podium in respect for the pontiff.

Fisichella went out after the third lap and has failed to finish the last two races after winning in Australia. He said the car felt great on the first lap.

"Then the engine lost power and I was called into the pits to retire," Fisichella said.

Schumacher, the defending champion, has just two points after three races.

"It is obviously disappointing but I prefer to look at the positive things," he said. "It was a fantastic effort to bring the new car for the race."

The German started on the front row with Alonso. After trailing Alonso by less than a second through 11 laps, he missed a curve and then limped back to the pits.

"My feeling is that I picked up some debris on the circuit following Fernando, which may have caused the radiator to be broken," Schumacher said. "On the first lap there was a lot of debris and parts flying around."

It was the first time since the 2001 German GP he quit a race because of a mechanical problem. The other times, including Australia this year and Monaco last year, were because of accidents with other drivers.

His last victory was at the Japanese GP last October, and he has not won in four races. He is eager to get back to European tracks with the new car. The next race is the San Marino GP on April 24.

"This is the best decision we could have taken," he said. "I am confident we will fight back and we will be competitive in the coming races."

Ralf Schumacher was fourth in a Toyota, 53 seconds behind. Pedro de la Rosa, who replaced the injured Juan Pablo Montoya at McLaren-Mercedes, finished fifth, with Mark Webber in a Williams-BMW in sixth. Ferrari's Rubens Barrichello was ninth.