Alonso passes 'perfect' rookie orientation

Fernando Alonso quickly passed all three phases of the Indy 500 rookie orientation program, running as fast as 219.654mph in a morning session that team owner Michael Andretti described as "perfect."

Marco Andretti shook the car down early in the morning before handing it over to Alonso, who proceeded to pass all three phases in succession.

"It was fun. It's a good way to start, to build the speed," Alonso said during a brief break. "Probably a little bit difficult at the beginning to reach the minimum, but then on the next stages it felt good. Now hopefully we can put some laps and start feeling a little bit of the car."

Alonso said he felt at ease in the car as the laps progressed and the speed rose.

"[It's comfortable], not because of speed, just because of the laps," he said. "With 40 laps in the pocket you're able to fine-tune a little bit the lines, and the upshift and downshift, which gear to use in which corner, etc. At the moment everything looks good. Now we start the real thing.

"I think the feeling on the simulator is quite realistic. You have the first touch, the first impression of how it's going to be. But the real car is just a unique feeling, so when you have to go flat-out in the corner it's not the same as the simulator. So far it's been good, the team is amazingly helpful, everyone, Marco [shaking down the car this morning]. Running alone is quite OK (he said with a smile), we'll see the later on in the next weeks.

"It was so far a good experience. Now I think we start the real deal."

Alonso has peppered the team with questions, an indication to team owner Michael Andretti of how quickly the two-time F1 world champion "gets it" and shows his world-class abilities.

"He did perfect, did everything he was supposed to do and got through all three phases [of rookie orientation]," Andretti said.

“He gets it. He’s one of the best in the world and you can see why. He watched what he was doing with his line and was changing up lap to lap to get a feel and he had a little bit of understeer that run and he adjusted his line. He’s the real deal; I think he’s going to be really strong this month.”

After passing the three-phase orientation process, Alonso and his McLaren Honda Andretti team spent the next hour getting Alonso acclimated to pit entry and tools in the car as they tested different trims.

“The wind’s gusting now, the wind picked up a little bit in the last couple runs," Alonso said after stepping out of the car for what appeared to be the final time. "But it’s good information to have some difficulties out there. But yeah, everything went fine so far.

"When you put on new tires it masks a little bit the problems, so it masks the lower level of downforce, so now we’re playing a little bit with old tires, new tires and different trims. I was able to feel all the changes. I was able to play a little bit with the front bars, weight jackers, all these new things for me, but now I really need to have a taste now."

Despite consistent speeds, Alonso said it wasn't as easy as it looked.

"[It was] not at all [easy]," he said with a laugh. "I was getting up to speed. The circuit looks so narrow when you’re at the speed; when you watch on television or in the simulator everything seems bigger and easier and when you are in the real car it’s very, very narrow, so I was trying different lines and things like that but [I was] really not as comfortable as I will be probably in a couple weeks’ time.

"At the beginning I have to be honest, the right foot, how do you say, [had a mind of its own and] was not connected with my brain, so I wanted to be flat out, but the right foot has its own life. Right now I’m more in control with my body and in control with the car so I’m able to be flat out."

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