2017 Indianapolis 500
Discussion
So the month long buildup to the Indy500 starts today with Fernando Alonso having a private test and his 1st ever drive in a Indycar around Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
You can watch the testing live from 2.30pm here on youtube: Fernando Alonso Live Testing
How do we think he will get on?
Straight on the pace or slow build up?
You can watch the testing live from 2.30pm here on youtube: Fernando Alonso Live Testing
How do we think he will get on?
Straight on the pace or slow build up?
Anyone know how I can get this on TV?
- I have a Freeview TV.
- I have a NowTV box.
- I have an Amazon Fire Stick.
- I am willing to pay for one day access to whatever channel is televising it.
- I am NOT willing to take out a contract lasting a year or more and costing god-knows-how-much-per-month just to watch one motor race.
Vocal Minority said:
It's about learning the entirely different form of race craft as much as it is about out and out pace
Indeed. This is an interesting read.http://jalopnik.com/what-it-really-feels-like-to-r...
MitchT said:
Anyone know how I can get this on TV?
There is an official youtube link copied above, it won't be a dodgy stream.- I have a Freeview TV.
- I have a NowTV box.
- I have an Amazon Fire Stick.
- I am willing to pay for one day access to whatever channel is televising it.
- I am NOT willing to take out a contract lasting a year or more and costing god-knows-how-much-per-month just to watch one motor race.
Supersam83 said:
How do we think he will get on?
Straight on the pace or slow build up?
If you know anything about driving ovals, you will know it's nowhere near as straightforward as it looks.Straight on the pace or slow build up?
If he's sensible, he'll listen to the team and his advisers and go with the programme. With that in mind, this first test might appear to some to look like he's not really trying, but there's a lot to learn in a very short time.
It will certainly be very interesting to see how he progresses and where he ends up in the race.
There is a very strict rookie orientation routine where they HAVE to build the speed up in stages.
Something like 5 x laps at 200-205, 5 at 205-210, 5 x 210-215 5 x 215 +
or something like that.
And they are running it on higher downforce at the moment to get him used to it all in a more stable car, before they start to take it off incrementally over the next few tests.
Sod definitely building up to the pace.
Something like 5 x laps at 200-205, 5 at 205-210, 5 x 210-215 5 x 215 +
or something like that.
And they are running it on higher downforce at the moment to get him used to it all in a more stable car, before they start to take it off incrementally over the next few tests.
Sod definitely building up to the pace.
Maybe we should focus on one thread seeing as we're all discussing the same thing?
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
FurtiveFreddy said:
If you know anything about driving ovals, you will know it's nowhere near as straightforward as it looks.
If he's sensible, he'll listen to the team and his advisers and go with the programme. With that in mind, this first test might appear to some to look like he's not really trying, but there's a lot to learn in a very short time.
It will certainly be very interesting to see how he progresses and where he ends up in the race.
His fastest lap was 222.548mph and last years pole position time was 230.760mph so needs to find a bit more balls to push his foot down a little bit harder.If he's sensible, he'll listen to the team and his advisers and go with the programme. With that in mind, this first test might appear to some to look like he's not really trying, but there's a lot to learn in a very short time.
It will certainly be very interesting to see how he progresses and where he ends up in the race.
Still not bad for a rookie and he completed his "rookie orientation exam" in just 50 laps.
Alonso's watched the last 25 500s as a fan and has also been watching full race on-boards as extra.
this guy - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_bx4Z6aoE17Bbp3w... has a few from last year, Hinchcliffe, Monyota, Newgarden and Kanaan, if you go back 11 months on the videos list. The full 3hrs + for all of them except Montoya who crashed out.
Easy isn't it
this guy - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_bx4Z6aoE17Bbp3w... has a few from last year, Hinchcliffe, Monyota, Newgarden and Kanaan, if you go back 11 months on the videos list. The full 3hrs + for all of them except Montoya who crashed out.
Easy isn't it

You've only got to look at Montoya's crash last year to see just how tricky it is.
The car has to be 'loose' to give you the speed, but then it's on such a knife-edge that even the most experienced drivers can be caught out and once it's gone past a certain point, they know it's best not to try and correct it or it's a one-way trip to the wall.
And they have to drive like that for 3 hours with just a few pit stops and caution periods.
It's also worth saying that Alonso's 222 mph lap yesterday compares quite favourably to last year's fastest no-tow practise day lap which was 224 mph.
The 230+ mph laps are achieved once they put the cars in qualifying trim and have the benefit of other cars to give them a tow.
The car has to be 'loose' to give you the speed, but then it's on such a knife-edge that even the most experienced drivers can be caught out and once it's gone past a certain point, they know it's best not to try and correct it or it's a one-way trip to the wall.
And they have to drive like that for 3 hours with just a few pit stops and caution periods.
It's also worth saying that Alonso's 222 mph lap yesterday compares quite favourably to last year's fastest no-tow practise day lap which was 224 mph.
The 230+ mph laps are achieved once they put the cars in qualifying trim and have the benefit of other cars to give them a tow.
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