VALENCIA:Two-time drivers world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso delighted his home fans on Friday afternoon when he dominated the second free practice session ahead of Sunday's European Grand Prix.

The 28-year-old Renault ace was fastest overall with a late quickest lap of one minute and 39.404 seconds round the sweeping Mediterranean harbour-side street circuit.

This lap time was three seconds faster than the best set in the morning session by veteran Brazilian Rubens Barrichello of Brawn GP and proved the asphalt surface was providing increasing grip as the temperature rose in hot sunshine.

Alonso set his time late in the day after being given a replacement nose section for his car following a collision earlier with German Nick Heidfeld's BMW Sauber, the latter failing to see the Spaniard as he approached to pass him at the final corner.

Championship leading Briton Jenson Button was second fastest ahead of his Brawn GP team-mate Barrichello as the duo proved beyond doubt that the team had rediscovered much of its early season form.

German Nico Rosberg was fourth ahead of his Williams team-mate Japanese Kazuki Nakajima with another German Adrian Sutil in sixth place for the improving Force India team.

Pole Robert Kubica was seventh for BMW Sauber ahead of Italian Giancarlo Fisichella of Force India and the leading Red Bull driven by German Sebastian Vettel.

This left Finn Heikki Kovalainen down in 10th for McLaren Mercedes, but he was at least able to deliver decent times while his team-mate, defending champion Briton Lewis Hamilton, had a session to forget and clocked only three laps.

After seeing a quick early lap, Hamilton spun his McLaren and damaged the new front section of his car. The team decided it was too badly damaged to repair him in time for another effort.

Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Australian Mark Webber, who is second in the drivers' title race, also struggled though he delivered 37 laps but ended up down in 14th place.

Ferrari were also facing problems in coping with the street circuit and the heat and Finn Kimi Raikkonen was 11th and his partner Italian veteran Luca Badoer, normally the test driver but promoted this weekend to replace injured Brazilian Felipe Massa, 18th in a busy session.