Alonso Confident of Race Wins in 2004

Fernando Alonso believes the Renault team can fight for wins next season, but the Spaniard says it's too early for the French squad to fight for the title.

"It's too early [for the title]. We can do a good job and win some races, but it is not realistic to think we can go for the title," Alonso told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I won't easily forget a season like the last one. But now comes the hard part, as our objective is to always be competitive, to be able to consistently fight against Ferrari, McLaren and Williams, and that won't be easy."

Alonso scored his maiden Formula One victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix last season as the Renault team impressed in several races. The Spaniard finished in sixth place in the Championship, having scored 55 points, including four podiums and two pole positions.

Renault will start the 2004 season with a completely new engine that will have a traditional structure after the team decided to dump the revolutionary wide-V angle unit they have used in the past three seasons.

Alonso says he is not concerned about the team having to develop a totally new engine.

"I don't think it will be a big handicap, because it would have been a handicap to carry on with an evolution of the old one," he added.

The Renault driver also said that Michael Schumacher, who clinched a record-breaking sixth title in 2003, will be the favourite to win the Championship again next year.

"My bet is still on Michael Schumacher, especially if he'll carry on being supplied with a Ferrari that never breaks down," Alonso said.