Alonso happy with practice work

As he and teammate Giancarlo Fisichella evaluated Michelin's tyre compounds and dialled themselves into the Monte Carlo circuit, the whole team were left quietly confident about their chances for success when the action resumes on Saturday.

"Thursday in Monaco is always a day more for the drivers than the engineers, as we run a lot to get used to the circuit again and feel comfortable," said Alonso. "I did a lot of laps, worked on my lines in the corners, and I managed to find a good rhythm by the end of the second session.

"The balance of the R26 was good straight away this morning, and it got better as the grip levels improved. I think we have done the job we needed to today, and we are in good shape."

Fisichella, who was seventh overall, added: "We are in a strong position after today. We tried the Michelin tyres in the practice sessions, and made some good preparations for the rest of the weekend.

"The balance of the car is already very good, and we only need some small changes to get where we want to be. The lap-times were very consistent as well, so I think it looks promising for the rest of the weekend."