Formula 1 Champ Passes First Indy Driving Test
Alonso Gets IndyCar Fang
Two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso has had his first steer of an IndyCar around the 2.5 mile (4 kilometre) Indianapolis oval.
The Spanish star completed a 'Rookie Orientation Programme.'
It consisted of 10 laps at 205-210mph (330-338km/h), 15 laps at 210-215mph (338km/h-346km/h) and 15 laps at over 215mph (346km/h).
The program assesses car control and consistency, but Fernando hasn't passed his L's just yet.
He'll have to pass a driving test on May 15.
"Hopefully we can put some laps and start feeling a little bit of the car because at the moment the car is driving itself, I am not driving the car,” said Alonso.
“I do feel more comfortable [going faster], not because of the speed, but because of the laps. You are already 30 laps in or 40 laps in, so you are able to fine tune and read the lines and up shift, down shift, learn which gear to use in which corner.”
The Indy 500 will be raced on May 29.
Alonso's hoping to follow in the tracks of former F1 drivers Juan Pablo Montoya who won the prestigious race in 2000 and 2015, and Jacques Villeneuve in 1995.