Alonso has last-minute engine change

Fernando Alonso's preparations for the Fast Nine qualifying session at the Indianapolis 500 have been hit by an unscheduled engine change.

The McLaren Formula 1 driver, making his debut at the 500 this year, posted the fastest no-tow speed in the Fast Nine practice session on Sunday, but smoke was visible when the car fired up late in the session. Honda identified a turbo seal leak on the engine when it returned to the garage and opted to make a precautionary change.

With 2 1/2 hours until the Fast Nine qualifying shootout, Alonso's McLaren-Andretti team set to work on the No.29 car to prepare it in time for his pole attempt, with the Spaniard set to run third after Marco Andretti and Tony Kanaan after posting the seventh quickest average on Saturday.

Alonso has faced numerous Honda power unit problems in F1 this year already, with his 12th place at the Spanish Grand Prix last weekend marking the first time he has finished a race this season.

On Saturday evening, Alonso said he found Indy 500 qualifying no different from any other session in which's he has competed, with every qualifying run carrying pressure.

"I think similar," Alonso said when asked to compared his Brickyard running to F1 qualifying. "All qualifyings are tricky. I go to my go-kart place and when I put on new tires and have 15 kids watching me with the timer in their hands, it's very tough.

"So every qualifying you do you go against the physics of the car and the physics of the circuit at that particular moment. So it gets stressful, it gets difficult, tricky, but a the same time huge adrenaline when you cross the line."