Alonso: 'All looking good but the real thing starts now'

Fernando Alonso completed his Indy 500rookie test without the slightest glitch this morning at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Spaniard followed the mandatory procedure, raking in the laps at the required average speeds without any issues and looking comfortable out on the race track.

"It was fun," said Alonso after his first stint in the stroking papaya orange McLaren-Honda-Andretti Dallara.

"I think it's a good way to start to build the speed. It was probably a little bit difficult at the beginning to reach the minimum, but next in the next stages I felt good.

"Hopefully we can put some laps now and start feeling the car a little bit because at the moment the car is driving itself. I'm not driving the car.

"We are already with 40 laps in my pocket so you are able to fine-tune the lines a little bit and up-shifts and down-shifts, which gear to use in which corner," he added.

"At the moment everything looks good but now the real thing starts."

Alonso passes Indy rookie test with flying colors!

The McLaren driver was full of praise for Andretti Autosport and its "amazingly helpful" members for his first Indycar experience.

"So far it has been good. The team was amazingly helpful. Running alone is quite okay, but we'll see later over the next weeks," he said.

Gallery: Alonso's Indy 500 challenger

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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.