Monte Carlo: Winning Formula One's most prestigious grand prix in Monaco ranks right up there in Fernando Alonso's fast growing list of milestones.
F1's youngest world champion was ecstatic over his seemingly easy victory on Sunday, knowing the race's history, and his own previous failures to win on the tight, street course.
"Its very special, probably the most popular motor race in the world and we did it," Alonso said.
"I think in 2003 we had a small opportunity, the car wasn't really good enough to fight for victory. In 2004 I had the incident in the tunnel. In 2005 we were on the pace until the tires gave out. This is a special place for any driver to win a race, for the history, for what it represents to Formula One and because it is such a big challenge to get through the race with no mistakes."
Alonso's second straight grand prix victory and fourth this year in seven races was made to look even more of a cruise in his Renault while his chief rivals - Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen - were having problems.
Schumacher started from pit lane after he was stripped of the pole position late on Saturday.
Stewards ruled Schumacher deliberately stopped his Ferrari on the circuit, blocked other drivers, gave Alonso the pole, and placed the German at the back of the grid.
Schumacher's dream of a record-tying sixth victory in Monaco was shattered, and he was a minute behind after 20 laps. But he salvaged fifth as others dropped out.
Schumacher later defended his actions during qualifying.
"I was amazed at how tough the stewards' decision was," he said.
"I can understand that, from the outside, things might seem a bit strange. I am sorry that Fernando's lap was ruined and it was definitely not my intention to do that."
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Raikkonen ran Alonso close through the first 50 laps, but on the 51st Raikkonen's race ended when his engine overheated.
"There was a small fire caused by a heat shield which damaged wiring, and that was the end of the race for me," Raikkonen said.
It was the same problem he had in the first practice on Thursday when he ran just three laps.
After Raikkonen dropped out, Alonso eased to a 15-second victory over Juan Pablo Montoya and David Coulthard.
Montoya drives for McLaren but the Colombian driver may be pushed out by Alonso when Alonso joins the team next season.
Coulthard won the Monaco race twice for McLaren, and his third place for Red Bull on Sunday earned the first podium in the team's short history.
It was also Coulthard's first podium since the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix.
"I am obviously delighted for myself to be back here," Coulthard said. "It is a very important day for Red Bull Racing. Of course the podium is a dream for all of us for where we are at this time."
With his 12th career victory, Alonso has 64 points, second-placed Schumacher 43, and Raikkonen and Alonso's teammate Giancarlo Fisichella 27 each.
It was the seventh straight race in which Alonso was either first or second. For Schumacher, his fifth place ended a run of three good races in which he won twice and was second.
Alonso dedicated his victory to Edouard Michelin, the head of the tire company which supplies Renault and other teams, and who was killed on Friday in a boating accident.
The British GP is next on June 11.
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