Massive respect...

Fernando Alonso said he tried - and failed - to take Turn 1 at Indianapolis flat out at the first full-speed attempt on his opening day of testing ahead of the Indy 500.

The McLaren Formula 1 driver completed 110 laps during his private test at the speedway, marking his first time behind the wheel of an IndyCar and his first running on an oval.

Alonso, who completed the mandatory rookie orientation programme in his first hour on track, set a fastest lap speed of 222.548mph, and he said he ended the day with respect for the venue.

"The track is narrower than I thought," he told the media after finishing his test.

"You watch the television and you see three cars alongside on the main straight - now I am in the car on the main straight and it's hard to imagine how you can fit three cars there at speed.

Alonso showing he 'gets' ovals - Andretti

"I knew that Marco [Andretti, who shook the car down in the morning] was flat out in Turn 1, so I said I will do Turn 1 flat out because I know that the car is able to do it.

"I arrived in Turn 1 and I was convinced that I was doing flat out, but the foot was not flat - it had its own life, it was not connected to my brain at that moment.

 

I'm convinced that he will have absolutely no trouble running at the front come race day. The traffic won't even faze him. We may even see some moves that we have never seen before.

 

He must be ecstatic, I think 110 laps is the most he (and McLaren) have had a Honda engine complete this year.

 

Color me impressed

 

The real test will come when he's running in traffic with the aero all messed up. He needs to do a lot of that in testing, preferably with his teammates along side so he gets as much "feel" for what the car is doing or wants to do in those situations.

 

I'm pulling for him big-time; he's too good of a driver to have been suffering for as long as he has w/o anything positive happening for him.

Gary

 

So for those of us who aren't hardcore indy fans - how does Alonso's test compare other notable indy rookies?

 

Pretty darned good, considering the conditions.

 

Refreshing to hear even from a multi time F1 champ. Makes me feel way better

 

I've always respected him although I'm not a fan boy. I agree that it's been too long since he's tasted any champagne. I hope he gets some milk in Indy.

 

I'm not an Indy fan either but hope he can jump into a car and just be competitive. I'm not expecting him to win and have to be realistic that all the other guys on the grid for the 500 have been going in circles all their professional lives. What's it say about them if a guy with no oval experience can go in and be top 10 the first time out.

Also, what can the brain trust tell us about the car he's using? I read somewhere that the car is a 5-8 year old chassis or design?

 

Poor birdies...

http://blackflag.jalopnik.com/fernan...car-1794889658

 

Epic history in the happening.

 

Nothing could be better for Indy car than for Alonso to podium but have to work hard to do it.

 

I have to agree. IRL needs a shot in the arm. Outside of Indiana no one under the age of fifty watches their racing.