Alonso benefited from the chaos in Melbourne (GETTY IMAGES)

The Renault, prepared in Oxfordshire, has been unfancied by many pundits ahead of the season, but Alonso is in an optimistic mood.

"Sepang really is my favourite track, and I have won this race twice.

"It's a circuit that I enjoy and I always tend to attack a little bit more," said Alonso.

Having survived blistering temperatures in Melbourne the Spaniard is unfazed by the potentially humid conditions he is likely to face in Sepang.

"We have already experienced amazing temperatures last week in Australia and so we should not have any particular problems with the heat.

"In terms of the physical demands, I trained a lot over the winter and so I feel fit and ready, so there should not be a problem."