Fisichella fears podium streak will end

The Italian admits his Benetton team is not competitive enough and knows the best he can hope for in qualifying is a place on row six.

Fisichella has finished third, second, second and third in the last four years, but in first practice today was back in 15th spot - over two-and-half seconds off the pace set by McLaren's Mika Hakkinen.

"I think this weekend is going to be good, but I don't think it's going to be as good as in the past," admitted the 28-year-old Rome-born racer. "I was on the podium here for the last four years, it was great, but I think it is going to be very difficult to do the same this year because we're not competitive enough at the moment.

"We need a lot of power here and we have not got a lot of power at the moment. But the car is getting better, though we need some aerodynamic improvements.

"I did a good job on the first day, more than 45 laps, and it wasn't too bad with a lot of fuel. But in qualifying it is going to be difficult to be in the first six or seven rows."

Fisichella says a major step forward on the radical Renault engine will arrive in time for the French Grand Prix in two races time and catapult the team into the top 10 on the gird.

"We've already had some improvements, but there is a big step maybe for the next race, I'm not sure, but especially for Magny-Cours," added Fisichella, whose best qualifying spot so far this season is 10th in Monaco last time out. "Then there is a big jump on power. It's difficult to say where that will take us, but maybe in the top 10 - that's the target anyway."