Alonso welcomes points after tough race

The Spaniard had started from eighth position following a problem with his brakes in qualifying, and from there he could only gain two positions in today's race.

Nonetheless, he feels three points was a good reward after a difficult Saturday.

"Sixth place is the best I could do today for my home Grand Prix and the three points are a good result considering that we started eighth," said Alonso.

"It was a very tough race: first of all because of the heat but also because it was a very competitive race and I had to push all the way, constantly fighting to keep my position.

"But we have been quick all weekend and therefore I'm quite confident we can keep this pace and deliver an even better result in Spa."

Rookie team-mate Romain Grosjean endured a somewhat troubled first Formula 1 race on his way to 15th position.

"Unfortunately the first lap didn't go well for me, but during the race there were a lot of positives and I gained some valuable experience," he said. "At the start of the race I had to really concentrate and pay attention to everything that was happening around me and after that I just tried to be consistent and set some good lap times.

"It's clear that I must do better next weekend in Spa and I will aim to put the experience I have gained in Valencia to good use."