Renault's world champion Fernando Alonso made a great start to his home Spanish Grand Prix on Friday despite picking up a speeding fine in practice.


The 24-year-old began the opening day with a $2,000 fine for speeding in the pit lane and closed it as the quickest race driver in the second session.


With fans chanting his name and banners draping the grandstands, Alonso gave the crowd only a brief glimpse of his car with just two timed installation laps on a damp track in the morning but the afternoon was more lively.

"I don't think that the Friday at any other circuit has the same level of emotion as we saw from the fans today," said Alonso. "It was wonderful to see them all around the circuit.
"I am looking forward to qualifying and the race and I hope I can give the fans something to enjoy."

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The top two times in the second session were set by the unsung test drivers, with Briton Anthony Davidson quickest for Honda in one minute 16.533 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Dutch reserve Robert Doornbos.


Ferrari's Brazilian Felipe Massa and seven times champion Michael Schumacher were fastest in the morning when only three of the drivers who will race on Sunday set times.


Massa, fresh from the first podium finish of his career after taking third place at the Nuerburgring last weekend, claimed the quickest lap of the day in 1:15.796.

Schumacher, winner of the last two races and 13 points adrift of Alonso in the championship after five rounds, clocked 1:16.099.

"Compared with the last time we were here, we have a few updates on the car and steps forward with the tyres," said Schumacher.
"I think we can be competitive ... this afternoon, over a longer distance, we were both quick and consistent so the situation looks pretty good."

McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen, last year's winner in Barcelona, did not leave the garage in the first session and was only 15th in the second.

"Friday is pretty much a non-event for anybody that is really focused on the job done in the race," said team boss Ron Dennis.
"The harder you push on the engines, the more you take the edge off their top-end performance."

Alonso, winner twice this season and runner-up in the other three races, and Raikkonen will start Sunday's grand prix with the same engines they used at the Nuerburgring.


Schumacher and Massa have fresh engines as does McLaren's Juan Pablo Montoya.


Source: Reuters