Fisichella writes off Renault's F1 title chances

MANAMA, Apr 14 (Reuters) A downcast Giancarlo Fisichella wrote off his Renault team's hopes of retaining their Formula One titles after a disappointing afternoon in Bahrain today.

The experienced Italian qualified seventh for Sunday's race, after just scraping through the second of three stages, while Finnish rookie team mate Heikki Kovalainen was 12th on the starting grid.

''Obviously it's not good at all,'' said the Roman, already suffering after seeing his favourite soccer club AS Roma demolished 7-1 by Manchester United in the Champions League quarter-finals earlier in the week.

''At the beginning of the season, the aim was to fight for pole position and win the race. Tomorrow we just hope to score some points.

''It can only get better...it cannot be worse than this,'' added the Italian.

''It's going to be a very tough first part of the season.'' Renault were champions in 2005 and 2006, with Spaniard Fernando Alonso also winning the drivers' title in both years, and Fisichella had hoped this season would be his big opportunity after Alonso left for McLaren.

''I feel a little bit disappointed because at the beginning of the season I was confident to fight for the championship.

Unfortunately we cannot do that any more,'' he said.

''I am disappointed, but I need to do the best with what I have at the moment.'' Fisichella is fifth in the championship with seven points from two races while Alonso has 18 after leading McLaren to a one-two in Malaysia.

In the constructors' standings, the French manufacturer is fourth with eight points to McLaren's 32.

Fisichella said seventh place on the Bahrain starting grid was a good result in the circumstances and hoped for some progress once the championship returned to Europe after the weekend.

''We are still hoping to make a big development and a better car,'' he said.

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