Renault's Fernando Alonso starts in pole position, having beaten Michael Schumacher in qualifying

Spaniard Alonso is first to get away off the grid in baking conditions at the Magny-Cours circuit

Alonso leads the pack but Ferrari's Michael Schumacher is setting blistering lap times to threaten for first place

Rubens Barichello overtakes Jarno Trulli on the penultimate corner to claim the third podium place for Ferrari

Britain's Jenson Button of BAR leads McLaren's David Coulthard; the pair finish fifth and sixth respectively

Couthard's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen (behind) finishes seventh, after a battle with Williams' Juan Pablo Montoya

Schumacher glides home to the delight of the Ferrari team, whose unconventional pitting strategy helped seal first spot

Michael Schumacher celebrates a close-fought victory in the French Grand Prix, his ninth win in ten races this season