• Spanish Grand Prix 2006

Alonso back on top in Barcelona

Fernando Alonso races to victory in front of his home crowd © Sutton Images

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• Race:
• Spanish Grand Prix

• Championship:
• FIA Formula One World Championship

• Profiles:
• Fernando Alonso
• |
• Giancarlo Fisichella
• |
• Michael Schumacher

• Teams:
• Ferrari
• |
• Renault

• Circuits:
• Circuit de Catalunya

Fernando Alonso turned the tables on Michael Schumacher in the title race by taking a popular win in the Spanish Grand Prix.

Alonso started on pole and led from the moment the lights went out, with team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella running with him early in the race. Schumacher moved ahead of the Italian on the first round of pit stops but was unable to do anything about Alonso who continued to lead all the way to the flag.

"To win in front of my people, my supporters is the best feeling in an F1 car," said Alonso. "It was equal to winning my championship last year."

Ferrari had opted to run a heavier car to go longer on the first stint for Schumacher but the plan went awry with the pace of the Renault meaning that Schumacher took second and Fisichella again proved he could hack it at the front by taking third.

"The balance of the car was not perfect," said Fisichella, "I made a mistake that dropped me through the gravel at turn three but I didn't lose a place and it was easy to keep third in the final stint."

Behind Massa in fourth was Kimi Raikkonen's McLaren, the Woking-built cars again struggling for speed and team-mate Juan Pablo Montoya spun off in his efforts to make up for the power deficit.

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