Alonso makes most of pole advantage
Fernando Alonso seized the advantage in the French Grand Prix with a lightning getaway from pole position.
The Renault driver beat Toyota’s Jarno Trulli into the first corner as world champion Michael Schumacher held third and his Ferrari team-mate Rubens Barrichello moved up to fourth.
Jenson Button dropped a spot off the line in his BAR-Honda to slide to eighth while Kimi Raikkonen, who suffered a 10-place grid penalty and started 13th, moved up to 11th for McLaren.
Christian Klien ran wide in his Red Bull before pulling off to retire.
Alonso began to pull away at an impressive rate thanks to a series of fastest laps which put clear track between himself and Trulli, who was over 14 seconds behind after 10 laps.
The Toyota driver had his hands full defending second place from Schumacher as very little sparated the chasing pack behind.
The battle at the lower reaches of the top eight was a close one with sixth-placed Giancarlo Fisichella just a second clear of McLaren’s Juan Pablo Montoya, who was equally under hreat from Button.
David Coulthard’s difficulties this weekend continued and he found himself some way off the points, languishing in 15th for Red Bull.
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