Renault duo optimistic of strong weekend

Alonso, leading the championship by 21 points over Ferrari rival Michael Schumacher after winning four of the last seven races, was only seventh quickest in today's practice, on a difficult day for all drivers due to the track conditions and the gusts of winds.

"I had a lot of oversteer on every run today, and although we improved the car, we still haven't got the balance we want yet," said Alonso. "It is also windy out there, which makes the car inconsistent from corner to corner. So it was quite difficult to drive, but I think the situation was the same for everybody.

"Lots of people were spinning off the circuit, so it seems the hot conditions have caught everybody out a little bit. With the balance problems we had, it is hard to say too much about the performance - but we are in a good position on the times, and we know the car can be quick here.

"So I am looking forward to improving the set-up overnight, and a good qualifying session tomorrow."

The day was not trouble-free for Renault, with Giancarlo Fisichella suffering from a software problem that cost him a lot of time in the afternoon session.

The Italian finished second fastest, but only completed three laps.

"I didn't really get much of a feel for things today - I only did one timed lap, had a spin at Stowe, and then a problem that kept me in the garage for the rest of the session," said the Italian.

"We are not worried though: the problem will be fixed for tomorrow, and we have done a lot of testing here as well so we know the circuit.

"Obviously, conditions are quite different to what we saw in testing, but Fernando's work means we know the direction we need. So not really a busy day for me - but we are still confident of being competitive."