Alonso not feeling complacent after Indycar sim test

During his maiden visit to the Indycar series between Bahrain and Russia, Fernando Alonso visited the Andretti Autosport base for a formal introduction and time in the team's simulator.

Team boss Michael Andretti cautioned the Spanish driver over the relevancy of an oval-racing simulator, insisting that a full-scale test was a whole different ball game.

Alonso will get his first taste of what it's like to run in a speedway's environment when he laps the Brickyard for the very first time tomorrow at Indianapolis.

"Everything is different there," Alonso said of IndyCar.

"It was quite an intense weekend [at Barber], then from there I flew to Indianapolis for a seat fitting with the team to go through some of the stuff on preparation for the race.

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"On the Tuesday I was into the simulator in the morning just for three or four hours, also to have the first touch on those cars, on the ovals.

"Of course the real car will be very different, because in the simulator it is easy to go 370km/h [230mph] and not lift in the corners because nothing will happen.

"I think the real car will be a little bit more difficult, but at least I had the possibility to see the car to see the efforts that you need to do in the corners."

Until he gets into the thick of things, getting up to speed and running laps in traffic, the McLaren driver will have more questions than answers.

"I remain very open until I test the car, I don't know exactly how tough will be the challenge to drive those cars," he concluded.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.