Fernando Alonso: I have to adapt to IndyCar, says F1 driver

After spending three days in a Formula One car competing at the Spanish Grand Prix, the two-time F1 champion flew to Indianapolis the evening after the race to take on a new challenge.

Since then, it's been all hands to the pump as he prepares for this weekend's Indy 500. In choosing the Brickyard over the iconic Monaco GP, Alonso is attempting to be just the ninth rookie to win what's been dubbed 'the greatest spectacle in racing.'

33 cars, 200 laps, 500 miles -- a race steeped in history and folklore -- the Indy 500 poses a daunting test.



https://crafterdepot.com/crafter-depot-groups/downloadmp3-john-mullings-freedom-undercover-album-download/
https://crafterdepot.com/crafter-depot-groups/download-zip-mp3-venus-flycatchers-scarred-full-album-download/
https://crafterdepot.com/crafter-depot-groups/downloadmp3-alexandra-burke-the-truth-is-album-download/


'It's been quite intense,' Alonso told CNN. 'We've put out a lot of laps on the practice days on the first part of the week, and then we arrived on the weekend, had good preparation and the qualifying was fine.

'Running in traffic has been the biggest thing that I have to learn. I have to adapt. You know, we are running very, very fast, an average of 370 kmh. And then, you know, you have another 32 cars nearly at the same speed trying to overtake you, and you try to overtake them.

'You're running very close, not only in the straights but in the corners. That's probably the biggest difference to F1.'

READ: Alonso walking 'tightest of tight ropes' in Indy 500, says Dario Franchitti

Predicting the unpredictable

Alonso will start from fifth place on the grid after clocking an average speed of 231.3 mph (372.241 kph). Scott Dixon of the Chip Ganassi racing team took pole, while last year's champion Alex Rossi will start third.

Alonso says Rossi's recent victory has cranked up the pressure, but admits he has set no firm goals to win the race.

'That definitely adds a bit of pressure because I know a rookie won last year,' said Alonso. 'At the end of the day, I came here with the feeling that I had to live the experience, I had to enjoy this experience.

'Now the second thing is just to enjoy the race, I don't have a clear target. Obviously winning is a dream, but I think the race is so unpredictable that my mind going into the race is just to live and enjoy this unique moment.

'The race will keep changing ... You need to deal with that. You cannot plan, you have to enjoy, you have to drive fast, especially at the end of the race. Let's see what the outcome is.'

READ: F1's love affair with the Indy 500

And as for a future with IndyCar? Alonso isn't so sure -- for now, his sights are set on this weekend, and beyond that it's business as usual with Formula One, this season and next.

'The priority is for next year and to win the Formula One world championship,' he said. 'This year we are not in this position so we took this opportunity.

'I'm missing one race to attempt the Indy 500, but if everything goes well next year we don't need to miss anything and we can go for the Formula One world championship.'

Alonso's 'amazing' influence on IndyCar

For last year's winner Rossi, Alonso's temporary switch to IndyCar has been significant for him personally and for the sport as a whole.

'It's been amazing. He's one of my heroes growing up watching Formula One and he has always been, in my opinion, one of the best drivers in the world. So to be able to work with him for a couple of weeks has been a huge privilege.'

Like Alonso, Rossi also came to IndyCar via F1, albeit at an earlier stage of his career. He competed in five grands prix with Manor Marussia in 2015 before swapping to IndyCar last year. He became the 100th person to lift the Borg Warner trophy -- a victory that lead to a long-term contract with Andretti.

The American says that he and Alonso have been out for dinner ahead of this year's race, where he offered advice as a fellow F1 convert.

READ: The F1 driver who rides a scooter

The impact of someone as high-profile as Alonso temporarily switching to IndyCar has been immediately noticeable, says Rossi.

'I think it was the largest ever online views that IndyCar has ever had when he was not only doing his private test, but also in the days leading up to his qualifying at the weekend.

'There's been a huge kind of global impact that he's had and it's been super-positive for the sport. And it just shows the relevance not just of IndyCar but of the Indianapolis 500 and how important this championship is and this race is and it's been really cool to see how quickly it's grown.

In terms of other F1 racers taking the trip across the Atlantic, Rossi says that several young racers he grew up with -- Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz, and Sauber's Marcus Ericsson -- are 'super interested' in what he's been doing with IndyCar.

Visit cnn.com/motorsport for more news and videos

But the long-term future of the Indy 500 aside, for now it's all eyes on Alonso. A new challenge awaits the Spaniard, and with it a shot at entering racing folklore.



#newsupdatenow