Alonso chasing more milestones 13 Jun 2006
Not content with becoming Formula One racing’s youngest world champion and then winning five from eight races at the start of his title defence, Renault’s Fernando Alonso has a few more achievements in his sights for the rest of the 2006 season.
At Silverstone, Alonso reached another milestone in his Grand Prix career as he recorded his first Formula One ‘grand slam’ - pole position, fastest lap and victory at the same race meeting.
His British win also means he has taken 74 points from a possible 80 so far in 2006 - a scoring rate of 92.5 percent, beating Michael Schumacher’s dominant 2002 and 2004 seasons and surpassing Nigel Mansell’s imperious 1992 campaign.
Next on the Spaniard’s agenda is completing a hat-trick of 'home' races, as he explained over the team radio on his slowing-down lap at Silverstone: "We won in Barcelona, the home race for me. We have won here, the home GP for most of you guys - and for me too. I live in Oxford, I feel half English, half Spanish already. Now we need to win in France again for the team. We can do it guys, you are the best."
Before then though, Alonso has something of a duck to break in North America. Canada and the USA - the next two races on the calendar - are the only two rounds where he has never been on the podium during his four and half seasons as a Formula One racer.
However, with Alonso having finished no lower than second so far in 2006, few would bet against him ending his run of poor luck in Montreal and Indianapolis.
