Championship leader-elect Alvaro Parente got his World Series by Renault weekend at
Donington Park off to a perfect start by securing the fastest time in first free practice.
A chance for the drivers to get to know the British circuit, former British Formula 3 Champion Parente was immediately on the pace, setting a time some three tenths faster than the opposition.
The Portuguese driver, who sits just one point behind
Sebastian Vettel in the driver standings, will be looking to produce a better performance on a circuit he knows well than he did last year when he failed to score any points.
Still, he will be encouraged to see his nearest title challenger Ben Hanley down in 13th position after the first session, 1.3secs behind.
Second fastest was Bertrand Baguette, the KTR driver, who scored two podiums at Donington Park last season whilst racing in the Formula Renault Eurocup, emerging as the leading rookie, ahead of Fairuz Fauzy, another former British Formula 3 driver.
Spa winner Milos Pavlovic was fourth fastest, just one place ahead of Draco racing team-mate Alvaro Barba. Title contender Filip Albuquerque was sixth fastest, ahead of Guillaume Moreau in the second KTR machine, Mikhail Aleshin, Marco Bonanomi and Alejandro Nunez, the latter looking to defend Comtec Racing's two victories at the circuit last season.
The British charge was still led by Hanley, but he was only two spots ahead of the only female racer on the grid, Pippa Mann in her Cram Competition car. The third and final British entrant James Walker was 21st fastest.
Elsewhere, two newcomers make their World Series debut this weekend, although with Julian Theobald and Luiz Razia 28th and 29th for Eurointernational and GD Racing respectively, both face an uphill struggle this weekend.
![Bertrand Baguette - KTR [pic credit: Renault Sport Media]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/348119.jpg)
