If so, it still leaves Honda some way behind the performance of the best engines – as the company itself admits – but it is a step forward from the first iteration of their power-unit Aston Martin have used until now.
Signs Honda are on the right track are what Alonso has been looking for as he ponders whether to stay in the sport beyond the end of the season.
Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg was seventh, the quickest driver not to use the soft tyres, with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly, the second Audi of Gabriel Bortoleto and Racing Bulls’ Arvid Lindblad completing the top 10.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen could manage only 11th fastest, while his team-mate Liam Lawson, promoted from Racing Bulls after regular driver Isack Hadjar broke his wrist while boxing, was 14th.
A number of teams have chassis upgrades, notably Ferrari, who have brought a new floor to this race weekend hoping they can deliver on the potential they showed in Hungary last time, but which frittered away through strategy and operational errors.
At Alpine, only Gasly has the team’s first major upgrade for some time, while McLaren and Aston Martin also have small aerodynamic upgrades – McLaren’s around the rear bodywork and wing, and Aston Martin’s the front wing.