Barcelona: Just call it ‘Fernando hysteria’, or ‘Alonso mania’. By any name, Fernando Alonso’s homecoming in Sunday’s Spanish GP should be unforgettable.

About 10,000 fans from his birthplace in Spain’s northern region of Asturias are expected to arrive in about 50 buses and 3,000 cars, guaranteeing a frantic sellout of 115,000 at the Circuit de Catalunya. After winning the last three races, the 23-year-old is Spain’s first Formula One superstar.

He’s the first Spaniard to win a GP, and the first to lead the season standings. If he wins Sunday, he’ll be the first Spaniard to win the Spanish GP ? which was first contested 54 years ago.

?The reaction in Spain has been great. It’s more motivation,? the soft-spoken Alonso said Thursday.

Thursday is usually a dead day, leading to the Sunday race. But not this time. Packed 10-deep in a line that stretched 300 yards down the pit lane, blue-and yellow-clad fans, hoping to catch a glimpse of Alonso, waved prorammes, caps and cameras. Men hoisted women on their shoulders to sneak a peak. Others used their tiptoes.

Chanting: ?Al-lon-so, Al-lon-so? during the F1 ?open house,? they outnumbered red-wearing Ferrari fans by 10 to 1. If Alonso wins Sunday, it will be four straight. No driver in F1 history who has won four in a row has failed to win the series title in the same season.

Alonso already leads the season standings with 36 points, twice as many as Jarno Trulli of Toyota, and a whopping 26 ahead of seven-time series champion Michael Schumacher and Renault teammate Giancarlo Fisichella. ?The feeling is obviously great,? Alonso said. (AP)