Pat Symonds has singled out the battling drive by Fernando Alonso at the Japanese Grand Prix as one 🔜of his highlight of the Spaniard's title-winning season.

Rain during qualifying left Alonso down in 16th place on the grid, but he joined tit༒le rival Kimi Raikkonen and Michael Schumacher in launching a recovery drive through the field come race day.

While Raikkonen took the race victory, ahead of Giancarlo Fisichella, with a last-lap overtaking manoeuvre, Alonso claimed the final podium place in his first race after being confirmed as the youngest champion in Formula One history - the high point of the day being a daring move around the outside of Schumacher at o🔴ne of the fastest corners on the calꦿendar.

"I think outside of the 130R, for sure," Symonds said when asked about his favourite Alonso moment of 2005, "Not only was it such a great overtaking moment, it was so symbolic. It wa🗹s the young champion passing the old champiꦆon and it meant a lot."