Alonso sees four-way battle for F1 title

LONDON, Mar 13 (Reuters) The new Formula One season promises to be a thriller on the evidence of yesterday's Bahrain Grand Prix.

''It was a great start. It's probably the most promising start to a season we've had actually,'' International Automobile Federation (FIA) president Max Mosley told reporters.

''I'm sure we'll have several winners this season.'' While Renault's Fernando Alonso came away from Bahrain with 10 points and a perfect start to his title defence, the 24-year-old Spaniard knows he has a different fight on his hands this year.

The lines drawn in the desert yesterday showed that champions Renault and 2005 runners-up McLaren, between them winners of 18 of last year's 19 races, were no longer in a league of their own.

''It will be very interesting,'' said Alonso. ''There are four teams fighting for victories at any circuit at the moment -- Honda, McLaren, Ferrari and Renault. I think any of them can win races.

''We were quick, but we are not the favourites like some people expected. They said Renault was a little bit in front of other people. We always said we are not the top team but that we are a top four team who are all very close.'' NEW ERA The heat of yesterday's battle, the first of the new V8 era, was between Alonso and Ferrari's seven times world champion Michael Schumacher and it ended with just 1.2 seconds between them.

Yet there was no disguising the threat from McLaren and Honda.

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