Fernando Alonso does not think pole position in Valencia will be as important this year as it has been in previous years.

15133 - Pole not crucial for win - Alonso

Three of the last four European Grands Prix have been won from pole position, but with drivers coming through the field by looking after their tyres at previous races this year, Alonso said the No.1 grid spot carries less weight this season.

"This year, pole position seems to be less important than in the past and I think that is the case even on a track like this: it is always important to be first away, obviously, but it doesn't mean that if you start further back you have no chance of winning."

Alonso was seventh fastest during Friday practice, but said changes in the climactic conditions could change things over the course of the weekend.

"Overall, it's been a positive day, during which we tried various updates on the car: some worked well, others need some modifying and then they might be used at Silverstone," he said. "Naturally, we also worked a lot on the tyres, which seem to degrade quite significantly here. On this topic, we have to take into account that conditions can change rapidly according to the cloud cover. With the sky completely clear, the track temperature can easily go up by four or five degrees and change the behaviour of the tyres.

"Now we need to analyse carefully all the data that Felipe and I have gathered and then put together the best combination of set-up and technical solutions for qualifying and the race."