Alonso Not Feeling the Pressure

"Leading the championship is not really a problem," said Alonso ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, "it is not giving me any more pressure because we only did two races and maybe I'd feel pressure if we were in the last two races and I was leading the Championship.

"Now is not a real picture of all the drivers and all the Championships so we have to forget and think race by race."

The Renault driver took a dominant victory from pole position at the Malaysian Grand Prix and that, added to his third place in the season-opening race in Australia, has allowed him to top the standings, six points ahead of his Italian teammate Giancarlo Fisichella.

While the French squad have been the dominant force in the first two races of the year, World Champions Ferrari have struggled for pace with their old car. The Italian squad are introducing their new F2005 this weekend in the hope of raising their game.

And although Alonso expects Ferrari to be stronger, he still believes Renault will be the team to beat.

"Ferrari is a very strong team, one of the favourites for all the Grands Prix, and now with their new car for sure they will have more potential and they will be more competitive than the last race," said Alonso.

"But at the moment Renault won the first two Grands Prix and is the team to beat and we have to look in the Renault garage, not at all the other teams.

"I also think, too, that last year's car of Ferrari was not bad at all. So their new car, for sure, is better, but I think the key to beat Ferrari to the top is not only the car."