By Michelin Sport
May 14 2006

Fernando Alonso became the first Spanish driver to win his home round of the world championship with a dominant performance at the Circuit de Catalunya, Barcelona. He led from pole position and finished comfortably clear of his closest rival after 66 laps. Alonso's victory was his third of the season and Michelin's fourth – it was also the 97th in Bibendum's illustrious F1 history. Six Michelin drivers finished in the points today.

With one third of the season gone, Michelin's six partner teams have scored 158 of the 234 available world championship points – a 67.5 per cent strike rate.

Nick Shorrock
Formula One Director
Michelin

"We ran all-new tyre specifications this weekend because we knew, in the wake of recent results, that we needed to take an evolutionary step forward. If anything I think we have exceeded our own expectations.

"All weekend, our tyres have provided a good blend of first-lap speed and consistency over a race stint – whether drivers stayed out for about 20 laps or, in one instance, more than 40.

"The result speaks for itself and I would like to thank our partners and engineers for their contribution to this immensely satisfying result – proof positive of Michelin's ability to respond effectively to a fierce challenge."