Alonso back on track
World champion Fernando Alonso belatedly gave his home fans what they wanted by setting the fastest lap from a race driver in practice for the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona today.
The Renault driver did not bother to set a time in this morning’s first session, although he did pick up a pit lane speeding fine.
He gave the healthy Friday crowd only a fleeting glimpse of their home hero but put on a better show in the afternoon, completing 16 laps and going third fastest.
He was only beaten by two test drivers, who have no worries over engine longevity. Anthony Davidson’s lap of one minute 16.523 seconds put him on top for Honda.
Red Bull test driver Robert Doornbos looked to have ruined his session when he spun into the gravel after half an hour but after gesticulating at marshals he crept back on track.
He proceeded to catch the attention for all the right reasons, claiming second spot as the test drivers took advantage of their last action this weekend.
Williams tester Alex Wurz was fourth, ahead of Red Bull’s Christian Klien and Ferrari’s Michael Schumacher, who has won the last two races.
Jenson Button was eighth fastest for Honda but David Coulthard’s pace was less encouraging and the Red Bull driver ended up 20th.
Juan Pablo Montoya broke a wing mirror off his McLaren when he tried to adjust it at approaching 200mph late in the session.
The team swiftly fitted a new one but Montoya was off form in setting the 18th fastest time. Team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was only marginally better in 15th.
Schumacher had been fastest in the morning session ahead of Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa but those times counted for little with Takuma Sato the only other race driver to set a time.
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