Australian GP: Michelin race notes

MICHELIN MAINTAINS UNBEATEN START TO SEASON

Fernando Alonso (Renault/Michelin) extended his Formula One world championship lead with an inch-perfect drive in today's Australian Grand Prix. The Spaniard took the lead early on, after the first in a series of enforced restarts, and was never seriously threatened. It was the Spaniard's 10th F1 victory and Michelin's 96th. In partnership with Renault, the Clermont- Ferrand firm has won the first three races of the 2006 season and the last 13 in all.

Kimi Räikkönen (McLaren Mercedes) completed a Michelin one -two and all six Michelin partners finished with cars in the top 10. Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) was fourth ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella (Renault, fifth), Jacques Villeneuve (BMW Sauber, sixth), Rubens Barrichello (Honda, seventh), Scott Speed (Scuderia Toro Rosso, eighth), David Coulthard (Red Bull, ninth) and Jenson Button, who slipped from fifth to 10th when his Honda's engine gave out at the final corner.

Nick Shorrock, Michelin F1 director:

"This might have been an incident-packed race, but from Michelin's perspective there were no problems at all. Various incidents and safety car periods made this a very taxing afternoon, but our three different types of tyre responded superbly to the changing circumstances. Clearly, we got our sums right."

"I'd like to offer my congratulations to Fernando, on another win,and to Renault, for keeping up its unbeaten start to the season. I'd also like to compliment all six of our partners for getting cars home in the top 10. If it hadn't been for a number of race incidents, the result might have been even more emphatically in Michelin's favour."

Team perspective on tyres

Pat Symonds, executive engineering director, Renault F1 Team:

"The whole weekend has been a really tough test for tyres, thanks to low temperatures, rain showers, the challenging nature of the circuit -- and all today's safety car periods. Throughout the meeting, however, our Michelin tyres performed faultlessly and played a significant role in our success. My thanks go to all at Michelin."

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