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Alonso sets the pace at Spa

Fernando Alonso put the off-track distractions out of his mind in Belgium
Fernando Alonso put the off-track distractions out of his mind in Belgium

McLaren's Fernando Alonso lapped fastest in free practice for the Belgian Grand Prix after one of the darkest days in the team's Formula One history.

Double world champion Alonso lapped in one minute 46.654 seconds with championship-leading team-mate Lewis Hamilton second quickest.

Brazilian Felipe Massa and Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, whose Ferrari team have effectively clinched the constructors' championship with McLaren's elimination, were third and fourth respectively in the afternoon session.

Raikkonen, third in the championship and 18 points adrift of Hamilton, had been quickest in the morning with a lap of 1:47.339.

The Finn will be chasing his third Belgian Grand Prix in a row on Sunday after winning in 2004 and 2005 with McLaren. There was no race at Spa last year due to promotional difficulties, with the circuit having been upgraded in the meantime.

Hamilton, three points ahead of Alonso with four races remaining in a drivers' championship that was not affected by Thursday's verdict, was second in both sessions at the longest circuit on the calendar.

Massa, whose title hopes took a battering when he retired from last weekend's Italian Grand Prix, failed to set a time in the opening session, running off into the gravel at Rivages after just two laps.

The car nudged the tyre barriers and came to a halt. Germany's Adrian Sutil crashed his Spyker in the afternoon.

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