MANAMA, Bahrain - Renault chief Flavio Briatore is confident of shutting out Michael Schunacher yet again when the Formula One world championship resumes at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in the San Marino Grand Prix at Imola on April 24.
"It was easy to win this race and now we have to make sure we stay where we are," the Italian said after a third successive win in the Bahrain Grand Prix.
"We know Ferrari will mount a fightback, but this is what we expect."
Schumacher faces an enormous challenge to hang on to his crown after his Ferrari team failed to score a point in the third race of the new season.
Fernando Alonso, 23, was just as confident of mastering Schuacher after two wins out of three.
And Renault technical chief Pat Symonds warned: "This year, to be honest, the cars that we have been leading the races with have not had to run at full speed either -- so we have something in hand.
"But we are certainly not taking anything for granted just yet."
Schumacher faces an intense testing programme to improve the reliability and performance of the F2005 after the worst start to a season since he left Briatore's Benetton team in 1996.
He has only two points this season and trails Alonso by 24, but he remained defiant.
"We made a fantastic effort to bring the new car here and it was absolutely the right decision," he said.
"I am disappointed, but I take positives from this race. Until I retired, with a hydraulic system failure, the car was very competitive and I am sure it will be even more so in the coming races."
Nine years ago Schumacher delivered two titles for Briatore, the second in a car powered by Renault engines in 1995.
Now, with Alonso sparkling on and off the track, there is no ignoring the feeling that Renault have got a new champion in the making.
04/04/2005 12:43 GMT