Rivals Expecting Ferrari to Fight Back

Renault driver Fernando Alonso has said that his team can expect Ferrari to hit back after their difficulties in Monte Carlo by reasserting their dominance over the sport at the European Grand Prix this weekend.

Ferrari claimed wins in the first five races of the season before the Monaco Grand Prix last week, where Renault's Jarno Trulli claimed his first Grand Prix victory from BAR's Jenson Button. Rubens Barrichello's third-place finish earned Ferrari their only points after Michael Schumacher crashed out.

But although Spanish driver Alonso believes Trulli's win has boosted Renault's confidence he insists the French squad are expecting Ferrari to come back even stronger at the Nurburgring.

"We see the Ferraris in the front because, after we saw in the first five races with four pole positions and five victories, they have to prove they are still quick in all the circuits," said Alonso. "Maybe Monte Carlo was some exception, so I think Ferrari will be the team to beat, for sure. Maybe things will come back to 'normal'.

"We have finished all the races with no problems in the car and we are looking quite competitive so I think we are up and rolling with good confidence and ready to get a good result and finish the race again."

Ferrari still lead the Constructors' Championship by 36 points from second-place Renault, with Williams a further 17 points back behind BAR after a disappointing start to the season. Williams dominated the European Grand Prix last year when Ralf Schumacher won ahead of teammate Juan Pablo Montoya.

But Montoya, who was involved in the shunt that saw Schumacher race come to a premature end in Monaco, is also convinced that the upset in Monte Carlo is likely only to be a blip on Ferrari's route to the Championship.

"I don't think they (Ferrari) have been off the pace at all, really," said Montoya, who finished fourth in Monaco. "In Monaco it is a different race than the normal races. The crucial thing is the tyres and how they behave and everything and I think here it is going to be probably the same old story. But, you know, we will try our best to stop it."