Alonso draws record crowds at Formula One tests

0 Comments | AFP, January, 2008

CHESTE, Spain (AFP) — A record 35,000 spectators Tuesday turned up to watch Formula One tests by Spain's two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and the drivers of nine other teams.

Managers of the Ricardo Tormo at Cheste, near the eastern city of Valencia, said they had never seen such a crowd for Formula One testing.

"Never in history have there been so many people for Formula One tests," said circuit manager Julio Garcia, according to the website of the newspaper El Mundo.

It was the second day of tests of the new Renault R28 of Alonso, who won back-to-back world championships with the French team in 2005 and 2006 and came close last year with McLaren.

Alonso took to the circuit Monday along with Germany's Nico Hulkenberg, a test driver for...