Renault eyes crown at Sepang

Ferrari and German Michael Schumacher, the seven-times drivers champion, failed to muster a challenge to the Renault team.

Spaniard Fernando Alonsos accomplished victory in Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix not only established him and his Renault team as the early-season pace-setters, but made him a hot favourite to be the youngest drivers champion in Formula One history.

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After two races in this year' world championship, Alonso leads the title race with 16 points ahead of his Renault team-mate Italian Giancarlo Fisichella on 10 while in the constructors championship Renault lead with 26 points to second-placed Toyota on 12.

"Now, if we can keep going, keep working and keep making progress, we can do it," said Alonso afterwards.

"There is no reason why not. This is a really good team, very motivated and very talented. For me, personally, it is fantastic to be the first Spanish driver ever to lead the championship, but it is more fantastic simply to be the leader."

On a day when the Renault team and Alonso in particular showed the way, only the Toyota of Italian Jarno Trulli and the Williams-BMW of German Nick Heidfeld, who finished second and third, could keep pace.

Fisichella, who won the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne two weeks earlier, was in the running for a podium position but, after suffering a loss of downforce, was involved in a collision with Australian Mark Webber, in the second Williams, and both retired.

"It was a pity for Fisico," said flamboyant Renault chief Flavio Briatore. "I felt bad for him. It is a shame, but we dont blame him at all. We are so happy with our two drivers. They make Renault a very strong team."

Ferrari and German Michael Schumacher, the seven-times drivers champion, failed to muster a challenge to the Renault team who controlled the race from start to finish excluding pit-stops.

Renault engineering chief Pat Symonds, who helped Schumacher claim his first two drivers title triumphs with Benetton in 1994 and 1995, hailed Alonso as a future champion.

"Fernando drove a splendid race, just as he did in Australia," he said. "He made full use of the excellent equipment at his disposal -- chassis, engine and Michelin tyres -- and he made no mistakes.

"We saw afterwards that it had been a long demanding race, but he made no errors and this was a drive of somebody who has the makings of a champion."

Trullis drive to second was also a critical demonstration of not only his, but Toyotas arrival as a front-running force. His team-mate Ralf Schumacher finished fifth to ensure they rose to second in the constructors championship well ahead of Ferrari, the only other team that makes its own car and engine in the same factory.

It was Toyotas first podium finish and was widely seen as belated reward after four years of preparation, three years of racing a lavish budget of more than 1.5 billion dollars spent.

"This is a fantastic result," said team chief Tsutomu Tomita. "And the style of it was even more rewarding. I am especially pleased that our engine has completed eight free practice sessions, four qualifying and two demanding races without any issues."

This final comment was in stark contrast to the misery felt by Japanese rivals Honda who supply engines to the BAR team -- and saw both fail in the opening laps of the race despite having started the weekend with new units after their controversial retirement on the final lap of the Australian race.

Their British drivers Jenson Button and Anthony Davidson, who was making his debut for the team as a late replacement for the sick Takuma Sato, were both out after two laps. "It is not good enough and I am very angry," said Button.

"This has to be sorted out very quickly."