Alonso wins in Bahrain

Bernie Ecclestone has tipped Fernando Alonso as the "heir apparent" to Michael Schumacher's world crown.

Spaniard Alonso leads the Formula One drivers' standings with 26 points after winning two of the first three Grands Prix of 2005 in his Renault.

"Alonso's looking very much like the heir apparent," F1 supremo Ecclestone told Autosport magazine.

"He's looking like an emerging superstar in the way that Michael Schumacher did."

Alonso looks the man most likely to be the NEXT world champion. Whether he will dominate F1 in the future in the way that Schumacher has, well that I doubt From Gordan Have your say on motorsport

Alonso is not as confident as Ecclestone, believing that seven-times world champion Schumacher is still firm favourite to retain his title.

"After years of Ferrari dominance it is difficult for me to imagine that it is going to change all of a sudden," he told German magazine SportBild.

Alonso has won the last two races - in Malaysia and Bahrain - and can make it a hat-trick in San Marino on 24 April.