Fernando Alonso believes he could have been closer to pole position without an engine boost problem during qualifying for his first Indy 500.
Alonso qualified an impressive fifth position for his rookie appearance at the iconic oval race, which takes place on May 28, with an average time of 231.300mph. The Spaniard very nearly missed the top-nine shootout altogether when Honda were forced into a last-minute engine change ahead of the final qualifying session.
Though the change was completed in time, Alonso says a further engine problem during his four-lap run in the 'Fast 9' segment of qualifying prevented him from challenging Scott Dixon's eventual pole-winning average speed of 232.