Prost misery continues

Alesi suggested that the revised regulations regarding electronic engine management systems have had a major effect on the engine.

'I am very disappointed with the performance of the engine. I thought the new regulations would not have changed the performance at all, but now it is a long way from being acceptable,' he said.

'I have no speed, no acceleration, in short, my car is not at all competitive. As to the chassis, we need to do a lot more running to improve its balance and performance on the track.'

Alesi stayed out longer than most in the soaking afternoon session. His car looked particularly difficult to handle in the conditions and he performed a series of pirouettes before spinning and stalling in the complex.

His team-mate Nick Heidfeld was also far from happy with the engine, but seemed more content with his car's handling.

'I had poor engine performance, especially during the first practice,' he said.

'We made some modifications between the two sessions, but we still had the same problem that hampered us in testing last week, which is not solved yet.

'Unfortunately, the track has not been dry for long this afternoon, which is sad because the car felt quite good. When it started to rain, the car was still okay, but the main problem remained the engine.'