Wet conditions should boost Alonso's title bid

As Sebastian Vettel remarked this week, prior to the last two races few people were giving Alonso a chance of adding to the championships he won in 2005 and 2006.

But after winning in Germany, contentiously so in light of the team orders controversy that will see Ferrari go before the World Motor Sport Council next month, and finishing second in Hungary, Alonso is a contender again. The 29-year-old Spaniard heads into tomorrow's Belgian Grand Prix 20 points adrift of the championship leader, Red Bull's Mark Webber.

And after finishing top of the timesheets in both practice sessions yesterday predominantly run in the wet, Alonso fancies his chances of a first win at Spa, Ferrari's fourth in a row.

"We have improved the car over the past three races and now we have a very competitive package, so we know we will be tough competition," said Alonso.

Virgin Racing got the better of Lotus on the extrreme wet tryes in the morning session but as the track dried out in the afternoon, Lotus turned the one-second deficit into an advantage.

Brazilian Lucas Di Grassi clocked the fastest time for the Yorkshire rookies and was able to complete both sessions, accumulating a good set of data for the engineers to work with overnight, while German Timo Glock spun out in the second session.