Alonso holds nerve to edge out Schu

FERNANDO ALONSO survived a near miss to begin his world championship defence with a gutsy victory in a dramatic Bahrain Grand Prix.

The Renault driver won a wheel-to-wheel battle with Michael Schumacher to start his title defence with maximum points.

Alonso came within an inch of hitting Schumacher as he came out of the pits right alongside the Ferrari but he held his nerve and took a lead he would not lose.