MONTREAL, June 12: Renault suffered a double blow in the Canadian Formula One Grand Prix on Sunday with both championship leader Fernando Alonso and Giancarlo Fisichella failing to finish. Alonso’s retirement was his first of the season and handed McLaren rival Kimi Raikkonen a golden chance to slash the Spaniard’s commanding title lead.

Alonso started the eighth round of the 19 race championship with a 32 point lead over Raikkonen and Italian Jarno Trulli in the standings as the only driver to have finished every race in the points.

He had led for six laps after Italian Fisichella slowed and retired on lap 33.

The Roman’s run of bad luck struck again after he had been in front for almost half the race.

Clearly frustrated at a circuit that has favoured him in the past, Fisichella got out of the car and tossed his gloves to the floor as he strode into the garage.—Reuters