Fernando Alonso was fourth fastest in practice for the Indianapolis 500 as strong winds limited the number of laps done by drivers.
Alonso’s best lap of 219.533mph was well down on the fastest of 222.894mph set by Ed Carpenter, but only 14 drivers of the 33-car field posted representative times.
“It was tricky, definitely,” the two-time Formula 1 champion said.
“The conditions didn’t help, but for me any condition is still a good lesson.”
Strong winds can be a major hazard on an exposed superspeedway track, where average lap speeds are so high, as they significantly affect the car’s stability in corners.
Alonso said: “Everything went according to plan. The team used those runs also to test something in the background on engine tuning, so it was a productive day.”
The 35-year-old Spaniard is competing at Indy – and on an ‘oval’ track for the first time in his career – at the expense of the Monaco Grand Prix, as he bids to secure the next leg of the so-called ‘triple crown’.
Only Graham Hill has so far managed to win Monaco, Indy and the Le Mans 24 Hours sportscar race.
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