Alonso quickest in final practice

Qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix threatens to be one of the most hotly contested of the year following Saturday's final practice.

Just 0.225 seconds separated the top seven as Formula One's big guns all showed what they are made of around the streets of Monte Carlo.

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso led the way in his Renault with the fastest lap of the week to date, clocking one minute 15.164secs under bright sunshine and clear blue skies. Alonso's hot lap came in the dying moments, deposing current championship leader Jenson Button in his Brawn GP by a mere 0.069secs.

For once, Heikki Kovalainen was quicker than his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton, taking third and just 0.114secs down on Alonso, to separate the Brawns as Rubens Barrichello was fourth.

To underline the close-knit nature of the hour-long session, Felipe Massa was fifth in his Ferrari, 0.015secs behind Kovalainen and 0.129secs off Alonso.

Team-mate and 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen finished sixth and last year's F1 king Hamilton was seventh, with the promise of more to come.

Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber were eighth and 10th in their Red Bulls, sandwiching Williams' Nico Rosberg.