Formula One news

V10s get fitting send off

F1's V10 engines got a fitting send-off in the Shanghai pitlane. After Fernando Alonso dominated the grand prix finale, with Renault's title double secured, the Enstone team dimmed the lights in the garage and performed an odd ritual ahead of the '06 V8 dawn.

Mechanics from Williams, Red Bull, McLaren BAR and other teams joined the Renault guys as an engine mechanic fired up Alonso's victorious V10 and revved it up to the sensational sounds of 19,000rpm.

''To see our friends and rivals join with us for the moment was perfect,'' said Renault engine man Denis Chevrier. We all share the same enthusiasm for going racing.''

World champion Alonso, 24, had tried to capture the same spirit on the way to parc ferme, when he floored the throttle whilst in neutral down pitlane. ''My engineers were telling me to go on the throttle in pitlane because it was the last V10 race in formula one,'' the Spaniard said in China

Unfortunately, as he killed the engine and hopped out to greet Flavio Briatore, the bodywork around the exhaust caught fire.

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