VALENCIA, Spain (AFP) - Spanish two-time Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso gave Renault's new R28 car its first test run on Monday at the circuit in Valencia in eastern Spain.

Alonso completed 39 laps of the circuit before 6,400 spectators, recording a best time of 1.13.027 minutes.

The first test of the vehicle which Renault hopes will return it to the front of Formula One was delayed by several hours because of the thick fog which covered the Ricardo Tormo circuit in on Monday morning.

"Fernando will have a competitive vehicle that is capable of winning," Renault's director of engineering Pat Symonds said recently, referring to the R28 which will be officially unveiled in Paris next week.

Alonso was the fastest driver last week on the second day of Formula One testing at the circuit in Jerez de la Frontera in southern Spain that used a modified version of the Renault R27 car used by the French team last year.

The car was adapted by Renault by removing driver aids which have been banned under new Formula One rules.

Alonso, who won back-to-back world championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006 and came close last year with McLaren, will continue to test the new vehicle until Wednesday.

His Brazilian team-mate Nelsinho Piquet will drive the R28 model on Thursday, the last day of testing at Valencia.

Alonso's season at McLaren was marked by an intense rivalry with his team-mate Lewis Hamilton but Piquet has said he is confident he will get along with the Spanish driver.

"I met Alonso last week during the tests at Jerez and we have an excellent relationship. I'm certain that what happened last year between Alonso and Hamilton, won't happen this year," he told Brazilian daily newspaper O Globo.

Germany's Nico Hulkenberg, a test driver for Williams, was the only other driver Monday, recording a best time of 1.14.559 minutes over 20 laps.

Times from Monday:

   Fernando Alonso (ESP/Renault)        1.13.027 (39 laps)
   Nico Hulkenberg (GER/Williams)       1.14.559 (20)