INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Fernando Alonso got his first real introduction to IndyCar racing Monday.
The track conditions changed dramatically from his trip to Indianapolis in early May. A rear suspension problem caused the team to scale back its late-day plans, and he found out just how much there is to learn over the next 10 days.
It’s a big challenge — even for a Formula One star. Alonso completed 20 laps in his first full Indianapolis 500 practice, finishing 19th on the opening day speed chart with a fast lap of 223.025 mph.
“Today, I was happier, I felt better in the car,” he said.