Fernando Alonso faces second day to qualify for Indy 500
Written by News on 19/05/2019
Fernando Alonso currently is outside the field for his second Indianapolis 500 after being bumped by J.R. Hildebrand during the final 10 minutes of Saturday’s qualifying session.
The two-time Formula 1 champion posted an average of 227.224 mph on his fourth attempt, which had been good enough for 29th. But his lap slid out of the top 30 qualifying spots over the final 30 minutes, finishing 31st.
“We didn’t have the speed, and I hope Sunday, we have another chance to be in the race,” Alonso told NBCSN. “If we don’t get it, it’s because we don’t deserve it.”
Alonso’s car is among the six outside the top 30 that will battle it out Sunday for the final three spots in the 103rd running of the Indy 500.
The second day of qualifying, when there are showers forecast, begins at 5pm on Sunday on Sky Sports F1.
After a disastrously slow first attempt with a puncture, Alonso went to 30th of 36 drivers attempting to make the 33-car field after his attempt.
But 15 minutes later, Pato O’Ward bumped Alonso from the top 30. Alonso quickly made another attempt, but it wasn’t fast enough for the top 30. Alonso’s No. 66 McLaren Racing Chevrolet went fastest on its third attempt after lagging on its first and waving off the second.
The Spaniard is in a backup car after crashing Wednesday in practice.
Check out more news from the Indy 500 and the latest results
Who set the Saturday pace?
Spencer Pigot set the fastest lap of the day with a four-lap average of 230.083 mph that puts him on the provisional pole going into Sunday’s Fast Nine Shootout. However, rain is forecast for tomorrow.
Should qualifying go on as planned, Pigot will join Will Power, Simon Pagenaud, Josef Newgarden, Colton Herta, Ed Jones, Ed Carpenter, Alexander Rossi and Sebastien Bourdais in the session to set the first three rows of the Indianapolis 500 starting grid.
However, IndyCar officials have stated that finalising the 33-car starting grid will take priority over Fast Nine qualifying, meaning Pigot’s fast four laps on Saturday may have been the run for the pole.
Who’s locked in to starting positions already?
When is the Indy 500 itself?
On a super motorsport Sunday on Sky Sports F1 on May 26, the Indy 500 follows the end of the channel’s exclusively live coverage of the Monaco GP.
The Monaco GP starts at 2.10pm, while the Indy 500 is underway at 5.45pm.
Sky Sports F1 is the home of live and exclusive F1 – and new and existing customers in the UK can now get the channel for just £10 extra a month. Find out more here to watch the 2019 season live
(c) Sky News 2019: Fernando Alonso faces second day to qualify for Indy 500
