Alonso happy with Indy 500 position despite engine change
The double Formula One world champion will start the Indianapolis 500 in fifth, but says pole position would have possible but for overboost issue.
Double Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso believes pole position at the Indianapolis 500 would have been within his grasp were it not for technical problems encountered during the final stage of qualifying.
Scott Dixon will start from pole at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but Alonso has seemingly adjusted to IndyCar relatively smoothly.
F1 star Alonso qualified fifth at the brickyard, setting a four-lap average speed of 231.300 mph in his McLaren-Honda-Andretti challenger. Ganassi Racing's Dixon clocked the fastest time at 232.164 mph with Ed Carpenter, Alexander Rossi and Takuma Sato making up the rest of the top five.
Alonso engine change before Fast Nine
Sunday was not without its tribulations for the two-time world champion, however, as he required an engine change before running in the Fast Nine and then saw his lap compromised slightly by an overboost issue.
IndyCar competitors are subject to having their electric power boost cut if it goes above a certain threshold - which hit Alonso on his run.
Overboost "like hitting the brakes"
"I had an overboost problem on lap two out of the last corner and it was like hitting the brakes," he told Autosport.
"I went one gear down and started again picking up the speed. I crossed the line and I thought it was 225mph or something, I nearly came into the pitlane because [I thought] this qualifying run is over with this problem. But I was happily surprised with the final time.